Simple stays with essential amenities. Typically guesthouses, hostels or hotels rated below 3 stars — clean, no-frills, and great for value-conscious travelers.
Comfortable and reliable 3-star stays. Expect private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and solid amenities — a great balance between comfort and cost.
Upscale 4-5 star hotels and lodges. Enjoy high-end service, refined comfort, and premium locations — ideal for travelers seeking extra indulgence.
The leader makes the tour and Tien is the Very Best ! Her professional years of experience and knowledge really shine through. You are part of her family and she will do what it takes to make your tour the most rewarding it can be for you. Any special needs you might have, she's there to make it happen. The experiences were varied and interesting from junk boat cruise to an hour tour in a rickshaw. The local guides and drivers did their jobs well as professionals. Siem Reap was very hot and some of the members were not really prepared for it. But water was always available on the bus so everyone could keep hydrated. I enjoyed the temple sunset and especially the optional sunrise at Angkor Wat. This is my first tour in more than 30 years and my first with Explore. I enjoyed it greatly and I've made some new life long friends. I'm looking forward to my next tour and the high standard that this one has set.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The itinerary was nicely balanced. It included the main sights in the places visited along with down time to rest and refresh. If keeping busy was more to your liking, there were many excellent optional tours.
The coach was comfortable and kept clean.
Loved the hotels. The Galleria 10 in Bangkok was in an excellent location, within walking distance to restaurants, convenience stores, and the sky train. Their 2 for 1 daily Happy Hour was a nice way to unwind after a busy day of sightseeing. Thoroughly enjoyed the other hotels which also offered pools for relaxation - in Kanchanaburi, Sukhothai, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. The hotel in Kanchanaburi was within walking distance of the famous Bridge over the river Kwai which was a bonus. The hotel in Chiang Rai was within walking distance to additonal sights not included in the tour as well as to excellent restaurants. All the hotels offered a good selection of options for daily breakfast as well as for the included dinners.
Adventure
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
5-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Khao Sok, Andaman, Bangkok, Chia
Khao Sok, Andaman, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Sukhothai, Chiang Rai
From long lazy days at the beautiful beaches of phi and Krabi to exploring the city of Bangkok on a bicycle, trying out the local delicacies in Kuala Lumpur to taking up adventure sports at Koh Phangan, we got to you all this and much more in just three weeks. This tour lets you experience the local culture without restricting to the touristy locations. The best part is that with the travel pass, we were able to explore all these amazing locales at our own pace.
We are absolutely in love with Vietnam! Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the tour company for creating an incredible experience for us.
Throughout the planning process, the tour operator was incredibly responsive and accommodating. We worked together on multiple iterations of the itinerary until we
settled on the perfect one. During the trip, when a small hiccup occurred, but our tour operator swiftly responded and made necessary adjustments to ensure our journey
remained seamless. His clarity regarding the inclusions and his expertise in selecting fantastic hotels and guides truly enhanced our experience.
A special mention goes to our outstanding guide in Sapa. We highly recommend this as he provided exceptional insights
and even hosts homestays. Our time in Hanoi, Sapa, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh, and Halong Bay was nothing short of amazing!
We were fortunate to learn so much about Vietnam and its incredible people. The country and its rich culture left a lasting impression on us.
Once again, thank you to tour company Travel for making this journey truly unforgettable.
Local culture
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
8-90 yrs
Operated in
chinese, english, french, german, spanish
Destinations
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Sapa, H
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Sapa, Halong Bay, Mekong Delta, Cuchi Tunnels, Hue, Hoi An
The trip, overall itinerary and organisation was very good. This trip covered 3 countries over 4 weeks, in each of which we had a separate tour leader. Although all were nice people and helpful there is room for improvement. Our TL in Cambodia was quite difficult to understand (accent) but more significantly he talked far too much making details difficult to sort out. If he had focussed just on key facts, events etc it would have been much better. Also, all 3 took us to very poor restaurants where it seems they get free meals as a minimum. This should be addressed or made clear to clients.
Nevertheless overall had a fantastic time.
One further item to consider the train from Hanoi to Hue was considered by nearly all the clients on our trip to be exhausting and poor. Perhaps consider upgrading the train compartments. Most hotels were fair to OK with a few good, which I liked.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
An amazing trip. Both tour leaders were very knowledgeable, patient and helpful. Explore did what it does best , take tourists into communities to witness local activities. The itinerary was varied mixing city and countryside with high profile site visits. The group members were great and engaged with the tour leaders. The people of Vietnam and Cambodia made us feel so welcome with their kindness and smiles. Top marks all round
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
I would definitely recommend this tour, greatly enhanced by our excellent tour guide, Hung, who was incredibly helpful, patient and enthusiastic as well as very informative. Our various local guides were also all very good. There was a good mixture of rural and city walks (without too much time spent in a bus) which included seeing local crafts and industry plus sights of historical interest.
The highlights for me were the two day long hikes, one in Py Long Nature Reserve and the other in the hills leading to the Cham temples. Also, staying at the retreat in Py Long, plus the homestay in the Mekong delta were a real chance to see local life. Other walks involving walking from village to village, were also very interesting.
My only criticisms would be that, as this was advertised as a walking holiday, it would have been good to have has more countryside hikes, and had less time in cities, particularly Hanoi and Hoi An, both of which were very busy and touristy.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
"Awesome time in Vietnam went with my 2 adult children and husbandLucy did a great job of creating a fun experience that was exactly
what I was looking for . Only had one hiccup with communication but overall the places we stayed were amazing and fun
Asia is a little gritty – it is a more challenging vacation than Europe for sure – so you will need help with transfers and getting around .
English is not as expected and a lot of people do not speak it ( Europe English is a second language. Here it is not so) due to communist infrastructure
People were super nice tho and
Really loved Hanoi / Mekong delta / Hoi An
It was very different than any other places you may have gone
Highly recommend Lucy and This Tour operator"
Local culture
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Age Range
1-99 yrs
Operated in
chinese, english, french, italian, spanish
Destinations
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Halong
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Halong Bay, Mekong Delta, Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary, Ha Long Bay
A highly enjoyable trip that is superior to other offerings. The most distinct advantage of this tour is walking through Vietnam in a comfortable manner and pace. The tour explores villages in Vietnam that highlight both the rural life and natural beauty in various parts of Vietnam (North, Central, South). The second part of the tour that covers Cambodia adds a cultural element to the entire trip that is somewhat lacking in Vietnam. The entire experience is enhanced by small group sizes.
Walking toursCruise
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers