First of all, shout out to Doan the tour leader. Passion for his country was contagious, he had us all transfixed with his stories and guides through history, food and culture.
The whole team was fantastic, making us feel welcome. They gave us space so we felt like we were exploring and adventuring, but if we needed them (puncture etc) suddenly they would appear.
Very happy with the tour. Cycling through amazing landscapes, remote villages and vibrant cities. Variation of light cycling, more challenging and chill out days (Beach and City).
Pace of cycling was adapted to our fitness. This tour will work whether you are a leisure cyclist or someone looking for some challenge.
Now we have done a cycle tour with Explore, its difficult to consider doing anything else. Cycling adds to the sense of adventure and gives a connection to the country you don't get otherwise. Explore put together an itinerary and ran the tour faultlessly.
To add, I was surprised by the quality of Hotel. Better than I expected.
Bicycle tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
For anyone considering this tour, my advice is "just do it". From the cheerful employee who met us at the Hanoi airport and delivered us to our first hotel, to our fabulous tour guide Diem, the wonderful drivers, the fantastic accommodation, the incredible breakfasts, we couldn't have asked for a better trip. Diem was an outstanding guide, we could not have asked for someone more knowledgeable, more patient, more helpful or more kind. He had our days organized to the minute. This man is an amazing person and can take credit for our wonderful tour of Vietnam and Cambodia. Our days were much fuller than expected and we appreciated how much was crammed into each day. We saw and experienced a lot more than we thought we would.
My advice to anyone taking this trip and thinking about flying back to Vietnam after Cambodia, check to make sure you have a Multiple Entry Visa. We made a mistake on this checkbox and were denied onto our flight of out Siem Raeap. As it was the Lunar New Year and the offices were closed it looked as though we were going to be kept in Cambodia another five days but with Diems help and help from a few others, we were able to fly out the next day. He saved us . Don't make that mistake! It's this type of tour guide that makes tours the way to go. If we had done the trip on our own, it would not have turned out so well.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Amazing adventure. Tra the tour leader was the best tour leader I have been with. The best Explore trip I have been on. Especially enjoyed the visits to several ethnic villages.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Visiting Laos was everything I had expected. Vivid nature, voluptuous landscapes and a vibrant, hardworking culture.
The Highlights of Laos tour with Explore showcased each place perfectly with plenty of things to see and do plus plenty of free time to explore each place.
I definitely recommend this tour & I look forward to travelling with Explore again.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
A wonderful trip which just got better by the day.
The pace was great, sometimes demanding but with sufficient downtime to chill, and encounters with locals so enriching.
Not only did the outstanding natural beauty of the Indonesian Islands make this trip magical, but also our amazing leader Hadi who, simply by his presence, meant that we could rely, relax and enjoy.
I loved the trip.
City sightseeingBeachWalking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Bali, Belimbing, Komodo Islands
Bali, Belimbing, Komodo Islands, Anja Jimbaran, Ubud, Flores Island, Ngadas, Ruteng, Labuan Bajo
The hotels were amazing but the trip was so full on there was no time to appreciate them. Also 18 Wats in 3 days was too much. Tour Guide very knowledgeable and fun. Really enjoyed it all but I think it could have been broken up a bit better, not so many long days and a break from WATs. I would recommend
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
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.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House, Home-stay
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
An interesting destination with a fascinating culture.
The cuisine is delightful and this Explore trip gives you an insight into the preparation of the local food.
The flora is very colourful, but bird watchers will be very disappointed. There is more birdsong in my garden than two weeks in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese are extremely friendly and helpful. The traffic is daunting.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Great trip from Bobobudur, through Java and Bali. Some really un-touristy places on both islands ending with uber touristy Ubud and Sanur so a good mix.
Pieter our leader was amusing and knows everything there is to know.
Always plenty stops for drinks and to stretch the legs on travel days .
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort, Lodge
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Sanur, Yogyakarta, Ubud, Malang
Sanur, Yogyakarta, Ubud, Malang, Bromo, Kalibaru, Pemuteran, Bali
A well designed itinerary made for a good introduction to Indochina. The biggest problem was never having quite enough time everywhere to do everything you wanted.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House, Home-stay
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Hanoi, Siem Reap, Mekong Delta
Hanoi, Siem Reap, Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels, Phnom Penh, Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Halong Bay, Hue, Thien Mu Pagoda, Hoi An