Holiday Reviews
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same trip can have different views!
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Vietnam holidays, tailor made, independent reviews
 Reviewed 17 Aug 2006 by Hazel White |  |
We went in August to Vietnam. We spent 2 weeks there travelling from Hanoi to Saigon using a variety of methods of transport; overnight trains, internal flights and tour mini buses. The intinery was tailor made for our family of six persons. Our children range in age from 5 to 16 years. The travel company was excellent, local guides very knowledgable, country and culture fascinating, food superb and all this lead to a family holiday that is going to be exceptionally difficult to beat.
It is difficult to pinpint the highlights. For each of us it was different. Variety of modes of transport, understanding Vietnam's long and troubled occupations and history, and the most recent Vietnam war including museum and Viet Cong Cu Chi tunnels were very memorable.
By using the advice of the travel agent when arranging the itinery and knowing your limits where long distance travel is concerned you can suit yourselves and get the most out of the time there.
Yes, I do think our visit benefited the local economy, however the trip to Halong Bay possibly had a detrimental effect on the environment. There are simply too many boats operating in the beautiful area.
We would readily recommend this company and give our holiday 5 stars. Thank you very much.
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It is difficult to pinpint the highlights. For each of us it was different. Variety of modes of transport, understanding Vietnam's long and troubled occupations and history, and the most recent Vietnam war including museum and Viet Cong Cu Chi tunnels were very memorable.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
By using the advice of the travel agent when arranging the itinery and knowing your limits where long distance travel is concerned you can suit yourselves and get the most out of the time there.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, I do think our visit benefited the local economy, however the trip to Halong Bay possibly had a detrimental effect on the environment. There are simply too many boats operating in the beautiful area.
4. Any other comments?
We would readily recommend this company and give our holiday 5 stars. Thank you very much.
| Reviewed 3 Sep 2007 by Ruben Segura | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We loved everything but in particular Halong Bay and the Mekong Delta.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you travel with this operator, follow the guides’ advices. They made suggestions along the way to modify slightly our trip, and all of their advices turned out to be a great idea. Also, visit the North, the Centre and the South of Viet Nam. Each part has is own beauty.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Everything was excellent
| Reviewed 22 Jul 2006 by Karen Ritchie | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Most memorable experience - the trip from the airport to our hotel, the chaos of the traffic in Saigon meant our mouths were open and we didn't hear a word our guide said as we tried to absorb the sights and sounds unlike anything we had experienced before.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be adventurous when eating in Vietnam and don't stick to the 'tourist' restaurants. Although we avoided the pavement pho cafes we found places where the locals eat which were unbelievably cheap, the food and atmosphere was great and we suffered no ill effects!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We are fairly certain the money spent in the hotels, restaurants and shops went into the local economy of the country rather than to multinational hotel chains etc. Flying to the other side of the world isn't really environmentally friendly, but hey...
4. Any other comments?
An unconditional 5 stars for our Vietnam trip! Go soon, the country is changing fast, but I am sure the Vietnamese will stay the same; surely some of the loveliest people in the world.
| Reviewed 1 Nov 2005 by Margaret Bridgeman | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Truly every single day was a new high - there were so many highlights from relaxing on the beach to hiking in the Tonkinese Alps to shopping in the busy city markets to cruising the Mekong Delta to... it's hard to finish the sentence.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Understand weight limitations on luggage with the Domestic airlines, and understand any size limitations on luggage.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We really hope so...
4. Any other comments?
5 stars for sure - the tour company was excellent.
| Reviewed 6 Aug 2005 by Stuart Hatcher | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Ha Long bay overnight boat trip. Ha Long is deservedly a Unesco World heritage site indeed! Also the Cu Chi tunnels are well worth seeing and crawling around in to gain an insight into the 'American war'.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure that you spend more than a day in the Mekong Delta. It is fascinating and can't be appreciated in a day.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. All guides used were local and restaurants were locally (rather than internationally) run.
| Reviewed 15 Jul 2005 by Helen Pilton | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Would have to be the scenery and the people. They were both fabulous. Highlights of the scenery would have to be Halong Bay, Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta, Hoi An, Endangered Primate Rescue Centre, Cuc Phuong National Park, Markets.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If deciding on what tour company to use, go with this operator! They were absolutely fabulous. I was so impressed with all the guides we had and the local knowledge was spot on. They were all so open and friendly and really showed us the very best of Indochina.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Most definitely. I only saw one place that was a restaurant on our way to Vinh Long that made me cry because of the horrendous conditions the primates were kept in. That was very disappointing but I am taking steps through the Humane Society and the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre to have something done about it. Local people definitely benefited from our tour. We used local guides and bought local produce wherever we could.
4. Any other comments?
We loved Indochina and we recommend it to everyone. Thanks Responsibletravel.com for recommending such a reputable company such as this one. They were absolutely fantastic, especially Ngoc who went out of her way to make sure we had the best holiday possible. We can't wait to go back!!!! Thanks again. I look forward to using your help again when we're booking our Africa tour next year.
| Reviewed 7 Jul 2005 by Dorte and Torben Borch | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The most memorable - everything.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you ever go to Vietnam - use this operator to help with your planning.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Any other comments?
This tour operator did a great job and nothing went wrong.
| Reviewed 2 Sep 2009 by Harold Hosker | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
All of it was memorable but we particularly enjoyed Halong bay and the Mekong delta.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Trust the tour company who were always helpful, reliable and punctual. The mid range hotels were more than adequate for our needs. We would have liked to have visited Sapa, with maybe one day less in Hanoi instead.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes - it felt very local, supporting local employees and industries.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
First class, very difficult to fault in any way.
| Reviewed 11 Mar 2009 by Sylvia Shilliam | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
From start to finish was enjoyable. One of the most memorable moments has to be the overnight stay on Halong Bay - what an experience. The junk we stayed on was excellent and the food was just superb. Such a relaxing time!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If any other travellers out there are considering visiting Vietnam and do not want to be part of a larger group then put your faith in this tour operator. We talked via e-mail for a couple of months until we were happy with the itinerary and then finalised the trip with them. I really cannot praise the tour operator enough. Also, considering we designed the tour and then had the luxury of our own guide and driver, the whole holiday was not expensive and excellent value for money. Once in Vietnam you were not forgotten – the tour operator made regular contact to ensure all was going OK .
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes to a certain extent it did benefit local people but unsure as to whether it minimized impacts on the environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Extremely good. It achieved all that we set out to achieve, it has given us an insight into Vietnam and I am sure we will return.
| Reviewed 8 Aug 2008 by Kerry O'Donoghue | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Halong Bay and all the markets are the most memorable, but the overall country and people are fascinating.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't go at the peak domestic tourist time as it can get very crowded. Do eat in all the local restaurants. Sapa is probably more worth seeing than Dalat. Nha Trang is only worth doing if you are very interested in diving. Otherwise the beaches are not clean and the town is pretty uninspiring. It should be pointed out that the boat trip round the islands with drinks etc is not everyone’s cup of tea... the scenery is nice, but the island you get off on are full of rubbish.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes definitely.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A fantastic holiday, definitely recommend it to anyone interested in Vietnam. Although if you are affected by seeing a lot of rubbish, best not to got here!
| Reviewed 6 Nov 2007 by Carl Price | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
So many memorable parts of the holiday. Here are a few: admiring the stunning beauty of Halong Bay, trying to cross the road in Hanoi without being mown down by a motorcycle and bartering for the excellent goods which can be purchased at the markets.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Use this operator - they have been absolutely brilliant. I was a bit apprehensive when I was booking this holiday especially when transferring large amounts of money. They quashed my fears when we arrived in Hanoi and was greeted by Hung and the driver. They have given us a professional and very personal service which has resulted in an extremely enjoyable relaxing and educational holiday
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
| Reviewed 3 Nov 2007 by Marie-Odile Romero | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Discovering Vietnamese history, society and culture at its best and local interaction with our guides. Halong Bay and the Mekong Delta were the best sights.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
To be ready for a little bit of seeing things out of the ordinary from local culture and a lot of fun mattresses on motorbikes etc is something else to watch.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes it did - however it did not have a great impact on environment taking cars and internal flights - we are becoming so accustomed to our western comforts.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was a fantastic holiday and everything went well and it was relaxing because everything was so well organised with great attention to detail. We have to say that the choice of guides by Thao was excellent and they gave us their full attention at all times.
| Reviewed 25 Mar 2007 by Sharon Goodsell | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whole holiday was so fantastic it is difficult to pinpoint a specific memorable occasion. We really enjoyed our "rural" experience and meeting the local people in their home and making Hoi An Lanterns. The whole trip was unforgettable.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take a waterproof as it can rain any time - but it is still warm. Definitely make the effort to travel to as many parts of Vietnam as time allows as it is so varied. Take US$ but change to Vietnamese Dong asap. The locals prefer their own currency - not the dollar as we were led to believe.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes - we ate in local restaurants and stayed in local hotels so hopefully our input will benefit the economy and the people.
4. Any other comments?
As a final note, I will be in touch with you again as I felt re-assured having Responsible Travel as the "middle man" when booking the holiday with a foreign company.
| Reviewed 10 Jan 2007 by Tracey Whare | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whole experience, the weather, the people, the food, the environment. Particular highlights were the cooking classes - we did three of them, Halong Bay and Mekong Delta.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Travel lightly as you only spend a few nights at each place and lugging lots of luggage would be a pain. Also laundry in the hotels is cheap. The guides are a wealth of information so ask lots of questions. Leave your shopping until the end or buy things that are easy to carry for example in Hoi An silk scarfs etc.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, I believe our holiday benefited local people. I don't think we minimized our impact on the environment cause we took a big plane to get there, two further domestic flights and private vehicles to get around and we stayed at hotels where linen was changed daily.
| Reviewed 19 Nov 2006 by Edmond Klinke | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Cruising round Ha Long Bay, walking round My Son seeing the ruins of the Champa Kingdom (Thank you Uncle Sam), seeing the Citadel in Hue, haggling in Hoi An, the millions of motorbikes in Saigon and sailing through the floating market around the Mekong Delta!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Avoid the water puppets - too touristy! Go to the Cu Chi tunnels and the markets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City all very interesting.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
| Reviewed 30 Sep 2006 by Bruce Arnup | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Most memorable was Sapa and Bac Ha markets and Mekong Delta
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book with Hang at this operator. She is tops
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
No environmental impact yet but will with more tourists
4. Any other comments?
Vietnam is fast changing to the impact of the dollar and people are quickly gearing to that change
| Reviewed 1 May 2006 by Neil Cameron | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Impossible to distinguish.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Avoid too many markets. Do not forget to tip drivers.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I hope so.
4. Any other comments?
The fortnight was mostly marvellous and one of the best trips that I have had anywhere over a period of 40 years of overseas excursions. The tour organizers, the guides and the car drivers varied between good and excellent.
| Reviewed 27 Feb 2006 by Christopher Flower | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Endlessly smiling faces and kind and helpful people.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Spend as much time as possible with the "locals" and smile with them.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Any other comments?
This operator is an excellent organisation which we have already recommended to friends. Highly efficient, knowledgeable and helpful staff at all levels, and very good organisers. 4---because we honestly can't say it was THE best--but certainly one of them. This operator is definitely one of the best we have ever come across in many years of travel around the globe. We can't praise them too highly.
| Reviewed 11 Feb 2006 by Reni McPhail | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Kayaking in Ha Long Bay and visiting the local people to celebrate Tet, Cu Chi Tunnels, Royal Tombs in Hue, getting our clothes made in Hoi An, and visiting the temples in Siem Riep including a balloon ride to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat (in Cambodia).
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Do not go during the Tet holidays as so many of the museums and restaurants were closed and the temples were very very busy!!! We went for 2 1/2 weeks including Cambodia, we wished we went for 3 weeks!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, we only had local guides and drivers.
4. Any other comments?
We would definitely recommend this operator. The service was spot on and professional at all time. Nothing was too much for them including changing our intinerary more than 10 times!!! It was the first time we went on a tailor made holiday and we're not sure we can go back to small group holidays now! It gave us so much flexibility and allowed us to interact more with the local people. Using the local guides allowed us to 'see' the country from their own eyes and it was interesting to hear their experiences of the war.
| Reviewed 15 Nov 2005 by Vic Flintham | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Probably time spent informally in the Mekong Delta.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Best tip is probably a) to go with this operator and b) to use our packing list attached as a basis.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, our holiday definitely benefited local people, but I am not sure about minimising the impact on the environment. (We had one large vehicle for just the three of us - plus guide and driver. No complaint, though)
4. Any other comments?
We have no hesitation in recommending friends to search for holidays through you.
| Reviewed 13 Nov 2005 by Rosemary Murphy | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whole trip was extremely memorable. They worked hard to ensure we enjoyed the historic sights, scenery, and shopping while staying in luxurious hotels. The people in Vietnam are extremely friendly and welcoming and our guides and this operator could not have done more for us.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
This operator provided excellent advice on the design of the trip and I would not hesitate in advising people to use them. It is nice to have a bespoke trip so you can do what you want when you want.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
They ensured we visited fair-trade or agent orange victims workshops so we had the option to purchase items there. All our guides were clear they felt tourism provided income that would not have been available. The trip used boats that did not dump waste in Halong bay.
| Reviewed 20 Nov 2007 by Thomas Goffin | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The most memorable part of our holiday was chartering our own boat for 5 nights and 4 days visiting Halong Bay area and staying at areas where there were no other boats.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Just enjoy yourselves, the agency was brilliant and everything was arranged as we wanted.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.