Vietnam Shopping and Markets Trips

The highlights of Vietnam and Cambodia trip was excellent. It was a very well balanced itinerary and our tour leader Doan ensured we were able to make the most of our time in both countries. It was nice to stay on Halong Bay overnight to see the landscape in a quieter and more peaceful time as it felt quite touristy during the day. It also allowed us to witness the fabulous sunset and sunrise across the bay. The overnight train from Hanoi to Danang was an excellent experience and the train was very clean and comfortable (I slept like a baby, which was unexpected!) Hoi An was my favourite place, not only is it beautiful but also the cooking course and lantern making workshop at not to be missed! Cambodia was also fabulous. It is a beautiful country and provided an interesting contrast to Vietnam. Phom Penh allowed us to delve into the horrendous genocide in Cambodia’s recent history, providing us with a deeper understanding of the pain felt by all Cambodians. Angkor Wat and the other temple complexes in Siem Reap were absolutely breathtaking. Overall a fabulous trip which I would highly recommend it as it is so well balanced between history, nature and time truly understanding the local cultures. (Also the food is incredible!)

A fantastic trip in every way! The itinerary is interesting and varied with a good mixture of optional activities on offer. The guide was superb - knowledgeable, interesting, efficient and entertaining. The accommodation was excellent throughout, some hotels were outstanding, especially in Cambodia. We thoroughly recommend this trip!

As always Explore delivered with this trip. The choice of guides ( especially Doan) was exceptional . His humour, care of guests , knowledge, choice of additional excursions and places to dine and enthusiasm made the trip the best it could possibly be . The itinerary was planned perfectly to include a taste of everything in each place we visited. The days we had longer to travel by coach were split by excursions en route to our next destination which made even the travelling a joy . The group size ( as always ) allowed us to share our experiences with like minded individuals whilst also allowing us to bond. The accommodation was basic and comfortable as described but the customer service in each place was excellent . My favourite accommodation was La Rosa Suites in Cambodia , their ethos and attention to detail married perfectly with Explores Values and my own. Our final hotel in Cambodia ( Hari Residence) was in need of TLC with tiles coming off in th pool but again the customer service was very good. I loved that you had changed our second train journey to a flight as this meant extra time in Saigon ( this allowed me to see my family for longer which was an added bonus). I have travelled with Explore on many occasions and recommend you to everyone who will listen . I will continue to do so as in my opinion you are THE BEST adventure travel company and I look forward to planning my next adventure with you. Thank you Jan Na Colin Blakey

Our tour guide, Theo, was excellent and his detailed planning and timing meant that each day went smoothly. He had an in depth knowledge of the history of Vietnam which he was able to convey to the group. He really added a certain something to the trip. Can’t praise him enough!

Overall we had an excellent tour through Vietnam & Cambodia, its pretty full on if you do all the recommended extra trips with very little down time, we done as much as we could, the food and drink cost is very reasonable but superb, the guides were knowledgeable and helpful if you required assistance in anyway, the accommodation was average, it's not 5 star but clean and comfortable, the white lotus hotel could have been better for the breakfast, but that is a minor detail, locations for all hotels were excellent for exploring, we had various travel options, the train for me was uncomfortable as I'm 6ft 2 and could not really relax, in the end I slept in a seat for most of the journey, overall an excellent trip which I would recommend to anyone wishing to see these countries.

This trip was everything we wanted it to be. The trip pace was full-on but it had to be to include an amazing variety of experiences. It was tiring at times but visiting such interesting places and doing such interesting things made up for the early starts and sometimes long days. The quality of our guides were outstanding, especially Theo looked after our every need as well as enriching us with his knowledge of everywhere we went. He should be nominated for tour guide of the year! Visiting Vietnam and Cambodia was a real assault on all the senses and at times we needed to go with the flow, especially on the overnight train journey, which everyone in our group was prepared to do. If you're after an experience outside of your comfort zone, of culture, history, cuisine, religion and the everyday life of local people, this is the trip for you.