This tour was the perfect introduction to Vietnam and Cambodia. It combined amazing elements of people, food, and culture. The places and day tours that we experienced were amazing to get a feel for different parts of each country and its history.
Fascinating colourful experience of Vietnam. The trip includes insight into its turbulent history, and inspired many of the group to read more about it.I went single, into a group of 16, and with Ngok, one of the nicest and best guides Ive ever experienced. He was with us in Vietnam, and joined us evenings and for optional tours as well. We had to say goodbye to him before the early morning onward flight to Siem Reap. There we had a new guide, who met us with the unsurprising news that it was too early to check into the hotel and then took us on a full day program, through to watching sunset over a temple (unfortunately underwhelming on that particular day) without yet checking in. We arrived at the chosen temple and waited there 2 hours for sunset, tired and travel weary after 2 weeks in Vietnam. The hotel was no more than half an hour away, so we really felt he could have planned the day better for us. We had all been up very early (the previous day too). Half the group wanted to go direct to the hotel and miss the sunset, but the guide felt we should see the sunset because it was mentioned in the original itinerary.The majority of our group were disappointed with the Hotels. Comfortable and clean, friendly staff, but not as good as we expected from a trip advertised as Premium. Exception was the Hotel in Siem Reap, which met our expectations of Premium class.Note, only the hotel in Hanoi was not the one advertised in the original programme, it was supposed to be an 'or similar' hotel. Several of us wrote to our travel agents to complain of its distance from the town centre (shuttle bus ran insufficiently), its proximity next to a road, and general failure to meet expectations.Another point worth mentioning to those who choose this trip having noted that it is classed as leisurely. It wasnt! There was very little free time, admittedly partly due to participation in some optional activities, and partly due to traffic jams keeping our bus on the road for hours longer than planned.It would help relieve some of the stress if the itinerary could be changed such that we do not spend 2 nights in a hotel, travel some hours for an overnight elsewhere, and then do the reverse travel to return to the original hotel for another night. It happens twice in this itinerary.
Enjoyed immensely my bike ride with the tour operator in Vietnam at age 79 years. Best way to visit the country away from regular tourist routes. Already thinking about next Big ride on my Next Big birthday!