What a dream trip! The tour operator made it all possible with seamless planning and running the trip. From iconic sights to hidden gems, every moment was a delight. Expert guides, great services and comfortable hotels, we enjoyed 12 days in Vietnam. Dat's professionalism was truly exceptional.
This is an excellent trip. The countryside is varied, the cycling is relatively easy and the bikes good. The Vietnamese people are friendly and the food delicious. Our guide Binh was very knowledgeable and looked after us exceptionally well. He really made the trip.
Enjoyed my walking tour of Vietnam. So much variety and fun and no worries at all. So many extra excursions and insights. I would say the walking is not difficult at all. It would suit any level of fitness. The leader really looked after the group. Great if you’re a single man or women who loves to travel. I can’t wait for another tour.
The spectacular valleys and mountains of Vietnam were simply made for active exploration. On this 11-day adventure, you’ll put on your hiking shoes and get ready for an immersive journey that gets away from the bright lights of Hanoi and under the skin of Vietnam's bucolic countryside. In between trekking and cycling through lush landscapes, you’ll stop in at local villages and learn about traditional life, spending the night in rural homestays. After cycling through the valleys of Mai Chau and Ninh Binh and getting your heart rate up on Sapa’s hiking trails, you’ll head to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cat Ba Island and kayak across the turquoise waters of Lan Ha Bay. Spend a night in a waterside resort in the bay and make the most of every sunset, before heading back to Hanoi and indulging in street food.
The Inside Vietnam trip was very comprehensive, covering from North to South of the Country. Accommodation was excellent, and internal travel was good. But would have loved to spend another night at the homestay, which was very relaxing by the river and nearby local villages, amidst the full on pace of the trip. And less time in Hanoi and Saigon, which was very busy and crowded.
Far ranging busy trip. Halong bay cruise with luxury accommodation and food was a particular highlight. Train trip overnight was interesting but would not rush to repeat. Overall great trip in a special country. Meals were excellent and excellent value. Our guide ran everything smoothly and we had very pleasant and interesting companions.
Vietnam was an amazing and varied place and Explores itinerary managed to pack in a huge variety of scenery, activities and education including places and people I wouldn't have managed to find alone. Long's leadership was brilliant keeping the teenagers engaged and encouraged to try new experiences and food.
Travel from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, experiencing the delights of northern Thailand, the laidback river lifestyle of Laos and the cultural richness of Vietnam. From the bright lights of Bangkok to the age-old charms of Luang Prabang and the buzz of Hanoi, go on a voyage of discovery and relaxation. Travel down the mighty Mekong and become acquainted with the tranquillity of remote villages and friendly locals along the way. Sip coffee by the lake in Hanoi, stroll the pristine shoreline around Ha Long Bay, take in the charming old-world ambiance of Hue and marvel at the hectic pace of life in Ho Chi Minh City. This is an adventure full of beauty and contrast that will introduce you to the delicious cuisine, friendly people, beautiful landscape and cosmopolitan cities of these fascinating countries.
Excellent tour, well managed, mainly flat, but some challenging downhill rides. plenty of other sites and variety, would have liked more time on the cruise.
We really enjoyed this comprehensive tour of Vietnam. Including time in more rural areas as well as the well known cities and sites, it gave us a great insight into local culture and there was plenty of opportunity to meet the locals who were incredibly friendly. The trip ran seemlesly in the extremely capable hands of our tour leader Diem, one of the best we've had (this was our 6th family holiday with Explore). Highlights would include all of the bike rides, exploring Tam Coc caves by boat, Saigon by cyclo, the amazing food, so fresh and plentiful, and the kids loved haggling for bargains in the markets and shops (especially Hoi An). Accommodation and transport were both of a great standard. Well done Explore!
Very good trip. In Siam Riep, it would have been good to have some free time and maybe some trips other than to temples (e.g. land mine rats). Otherwise, a very good trip overall.
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Home-stay, Guest House
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Siem Reap, Vientiane, Halong Bay
Siem Reap, Vientiane, Halong Bay, Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue, Hoi An, Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels, Phnom Penh, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Hanoi
This trip was made extraordinary by two absolutely outstanding guides, one in Cambodia (Sokchea) one in Vietnam (Truong). Their knowledge, communication skills, good humour, organisational skills and sheer passion for what they do was incredible. We arranged additional tours with our guides, and being able to depend on them for taking care of every detail, from supporting with transport arrangements, recommending and taking us to great local restaurants and evening shows, sometimes joining us for fun, ensuring that our access to sites of interest was smooth and hassle-free, whilst providing a fascinating and insightful perspective on history, culture and lifestyle. In Vietnam, Truong is an incredible asset to Explore: he went above and beyond his remit every day to ensure that everyone in our group had the best, most enjoyable experience. This was priceless, his energy and enthusiasm, and superb social skills ensured that this was an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. We learned so much, and genuinely shared laughter, food and good company. This Explore trip, due to the local guides, and wonderful company of our small group, totally exceeded our expectations.
Having a small group of 5, meant that we were able to get to know each other along the way too, and shared a lot of fun. We hugely enjoyed our “Happy Team” and hope we’ve made some new friends too.
Hotels were mostly great, some more basic but overall good, clean standards. Some excelled, like Cat Ba Paradise Hotel; only one was quite disappointing and a bit frustrating in their really inefficient check-in processes, Trang Hotel in Bangkok, which wasn’t helpful after long-haul journey. Otherwise, good accommodation and friendly helpful staff along the way.
This was a wonderful, varied trip with a good mixture of culture, beautiful scenery, activities and history, both ancient and soberingly more recent. Our guide Binh was fantastic; funny, kind, patient and very knowledgeable, he was a highlight of our trip. The accommodation was all very comfortable and the food was amazing. As a vegetarian, travel can be tricky, but there were lots of delicious options. I highly recommend this trip for the first time visitor to Vietnam.
Linh DoTravel Expert in Cambodia & Vietnam
Jacqueline NguyenTravel Expert in Cambodia & Vietnam
Alessia LeTravel Expert in Cambodia & Vietnam
Sophie HoangTravel Expert in Vietnam
