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
Champion totally made this trip! He was simple amazing. We had a few changes and he worked so hard to make it work for everyone, which I think had to be hard with so many personalities.
All the explorer trips were great. But would look at a couple of the add ons- the cooking class with Mr Chickn- though it did work out in the end, I think it was new to them as not quite organized and a little hard with the translation- but with time I think it would be great. The 7 isle tour on the speed boat was absolutely terrible- very crowded, unsafe, and food was terrible- like raw chicken terrible. Champion was with us and tried a hard to help us all though and so appreciate his effort. The photo plankin swim was amazing too - but kinda the only thing that was
Again champion totally made up for all the downs - and nothing is perfect- just suggestions. Thank you champion!!! 🙏
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This trip was once in a lifetime, we really felt like we saw a lot of Thailand. There was a lot of variety; city, history culture, waterfalls, rivers, railways, caves, wildlife and beaches. I would recommend staying an extra night before in Bangkok there is so much to do, we did a hidden Bangkok bike tour as well as the grand palace and wot pho, river cruise etc. The excursion to cheow lake is great, saw bats in cave, jungle walk, and scenery is beautiful. I would also recommend staying an extra night in Krabi so that you have time to do the 4 island boat tours. We extended out tour by going to Koh Yao Noi where we saw oriental pied hornbills for 4 nights, a perfected to a brilliant trip.
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
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
The hotels were fantastic — central, comfortable, and beautifully presented. It made such a difference to be close to everything while still feeling relaxed and at ease. The coach was also very comfortable and reliable, and guided us through heavy traffic safely and on time.
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