Lands of Smile in Thailand & Vietnam in 16 Days

Traveler Reviews

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  Greta

  May 2nd, 2026
  A well-organized and enjoyable journey with a great balance between exploring and relaxing across two countries. We...
  A well-organized and enjoyable journey with a great balance between exploring and relaxing across two countries. We had a small issue in Chiang Mai, but Edna was very quick to support us via WhatsApp, which made everything smooth and reassuring.Show more
  Traveled in April 2026
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Greta, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're so happy to know that you had a great time on our tour. Our team works hard to deliver unforgettable experiences, and your feedback is a testament to their dedication. We appreciate your support and hope to see you soon on another adventure. Best regards, Realistic Asia team

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  Fatemeh

  April 1st, 2026
  I was happy overall. Edna tried her best to have an enjoyable trip.
  Traveled in February 2026
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Fatemeh, Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad you had an enjoyable trip and appreciate Edna’s efforts in making it a positive experience. Best regards, Realistic Asia team

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  Farah

  March 14th, 2026
  However, a couple of the hotels we stayed in were quite dirty, which made the stay uncomfortable. Cleanliness is very...
  However, a couple of the hotels we stayed in were quite dirty, which made the stay uncomfortable. Cleanliness is very important for travelers, so I hope this can be improved in the future.Show more
  Traveled in February 2026
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Farah, We sincerely appreciate your honest feedback. Your comments have been shared with our team and will be followed up with the hotels concerned to ensure improvements are made. Feedback like yours helps us refine our partner selection and maintain the quality our travelers expect. Thank you for your valuable input, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a better experience in the future. Realistic Asia team

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  Waag

  February 25th, 2026
  As someone interested in history, I found the combination of sites fascinating. Hoa Lu gave a glimpse into ancient...
  As someone interested in history, I found the combination of sites fascinating. Hoa Lu gave a glimpse into ancient Vietnam, while the Cu Chi Tunnels told a story of more recent history. The guides’ explanations made both come alive. Add to that the natural wonders of Halong Bay and Tam Coc, and the trip felt very complete.Show more
  Traveled in January 2026
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Waag, Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful review. We’re delighted that the blend of historical sites and natural landscapes resonated with you, from the ancient legacy of Hoa Lu to the powerful stories of the Cu Chi Tunnels. It’s wonderful to hear the guides helped bring these places to life and that Halong Bay and Tam Coc rounded out the journey so well. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again for another enriching experience. Realistic Asia team

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• K

  Keon

  December 28th, 2025
  We enjoyed the flexibility built into the itinerary. On the free days, we could explore on our own or just relax....
  We enjoyed the flexibility built into the itinerary. On the free days, we could explore on our own or just relax. Loved cycling in Hoi An and sampling street food in Chiang Mai. A good mix of guided and free time. The guides in every city were amazing. They were friendly, knowledgeable, and always eager to answer our questions. We learned so much about Thai and Vietnamese history, culture, and food.Show more
  Traveled in November 2025
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Keon, Thank you very much for your lovely feedback. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the flexibility of the itinerary and appreciated the balance between guided activities and free time. It’s great to know that you made the most of your free days, whether exploring independently or simply taking time to relax. We’re especially pleased that cycling in Hoi An and sampling street food in Chiang Mai were highlights of your journey. Your kind words about our guides truly mean a lot to us. Their friendliness, knowledge, and passion for sharing local history, culture, and cuisine are something we’re very proud of. Thank you for choosing to travel with us. We hope to welcome you back again for another memorable experience in Southeast Asia. Realistic Asia team

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  Milet

  November 26th, 2025
  This was our honeymoon trip, and it couldn’t have been better. The boutique resorts in Chiang Mai and Hoi An were...
  This was our honeymoon trip, and it couldn’t have been better. The boutique resorts in Chiang Mai and Hoi An were stunning. The cruise in Halong Bay was so romantic. Everything was flawless.Show more
  Traveled in November 2025
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Milet, Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. We’re truly honored that you chose our services for such a special occasion. We're delighted everything came together perfectly for you. Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness, and we hope to welcome you back for another beautiful journey one day! Realistic Asia team

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  Matt

  November 16th, 2025
  Our Tour coordinator Long Pham was great. He was in touch with us every day and kept updated each day’s activities....
  Our Tour coordinator Long Pham was great. He was in touch with us every day and kept updated each day’s activities. Due to unexpected weather conditions they had to change the itinerary and Long Pham informed us the change well advance.Show more
  Traveled in October 2025
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Matt, Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re delighted to hear that you had a great experience with our tour coordinator, Long Pham. He truly cares about every guest, and it’s wonderful to know his daily check-ins and clear communication helped your trip run smoothly. We appreciate your understanding regarding the weather-related changes, and we’re glad Long was able to update you in advance and ensure everything stayed comfortable and well-organized. Thank you again for traveling with us. We hope to welcome you on another journey soon! Realistic Asia team

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  Francesco

  October 2nd, 2025
  Our family had an amazing time! The operator took care of every little detail, so we could just enjoy. The included...
  Our family had an amazing time! The operator took care of every little detail, so we could just enjoy. The included flights made it very easy, and we got to see so much in 16 days without feeling rushed. The kids especially loved the Cai Rang Floating Market in Can Tho. The only minor issue was some traffic in Hanoi, but that’s part of the experience.Show more
  Traveled in August 2025
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Francesco, Thank you for sharing such lovely feedback. We’re so happy to hear that your family had an amazing time and that everything was well taken care of, allowing you to simply relax and enjoy the journey. It’s wonderful that the flights made traveling easier and that you were able to experience so much in just 16 days without feeling rushed. As for the traffic in Hanoi, you’re right - it’s part of the city’s charm and energy, though we appreciate your patience. We’re grateful for your trust and hope to welcome you and your family on another adventure soon. Realistic Asia team

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  Greg

  April 15th, 2025
  Chris Tran really took care of us on the whole trip!! He reached out on a daily basis and actually made time to see...
  Chris Tran really took care of us on the whole trip!! He reached out on a daily basis and actually made time to see and meet with us in Hanoi. This was such an amazing trip from Bangkok to Saigon!! We will definitely come back to both Thailand and Vietnam in the future.Show more
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  Traveled in February 2025
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Greg, Thank you so much for your feedback. We are very thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your holiday. Thanks for your kind words about Chris, he remembers you and sends his warm regards. We’re very grateful for customers like you and hope to see you again! Realistic Asia team

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  Nancy

  March 18th, 2025
  We had a fantastic time! Truly a great balance of time and experience for the money. If you can add a day in Holong...
  We had a fantastic time! Truly a great balance of time and experience for the money. If you can add a day in Holong Bay, Hoi An or sneak in Siem Riep even better for me but for my husband this was a perfect time for him. Cannot give enough praise to Tran for being so attentive. To be honest my husband and I rarely use a travel agency when we travel mostly because we do 'enough' travel that we are capable of doing it ourselves and often save money doing it... not in this case, we could not extend our trip further than 16 days (plus some added on the ends) and wanted to make sure everything went smoothly and it did, cheaper traveling more luxurious than if we did it ourselves at a pace that mixed leisure with tours. If you are a frequent traveler and dismiss an agent for similar reasons this review is for YOU! I can say this because my sister and her hubby who have deep pockets but are super frugal, frequent retired travelers with lots of time also used my itinerary to loosely plan their trip and spent about $1000.00 more and although they did add a week and stayed much longer... they did not have 5 star hotels, breakfasts at their hotels (nor many lunches or water included with some tours) did not have a driver with their names on it greeting them, struggled with long lines and some confusion at the airports and although her price included all the airfare internally- her 'booking.com' did not include all the tours nor the transfers in her budget that was over by about $1000. *What she did have was the flexibility to change a few things along the way- but with booking.com we all know you are still locked into the investment. First off, when I booked our flights- the app did not expand to quickly display the dates with flying over the international date line AND the daylight savings in the USA coupled with the long 24-hour flights as much attention as I had given, I goofed up on the flights (international flights we chose to use our cc points and upgraded to the lay down pods, which I highly recommend if you can swing it). Tran caught it and we were able to adjust our flights very quickly- something that 'could' easily happen planning yourself. We were never without a driver taking us to our next stop and... I did have to text Tran that one driver was not there, I wasn't worried but it was unusual to have a driver be 5 minutes delayed so sent the text. Good thing, the driver had car trouble, so a new driver was dispatched instantly and all went smoothly! We enjoyed the time in Bangkok and the weather allowed some time at the roof top pool, but our favorite evening was going down to Chinatown to listen to music and have some local street food all recommended by our tour guide Eddie who was a fantastic fun guy. In general, all of the hotels were in great locations, welcome drinks and great English speaking front desk. I am caught between having all the wonderful amenities of a 5 star and having a lower-level hotel in the middle of all the action but in the end, being able to have a great full-on breakfast trumps out the ease of getting in a Grab (do download the app ahead of time) to take us to a popular evening market etc. Our favorite city was Chaing Mai the elephant tour was truly a highlight, we did have time to have lots of suits and dresses made in Hoi An (do have some clothing ideas before you go or you'll end up overwhelmed even with all their help- don't worry who you use they are all great and similar in price) and our favorite hotel was the Myst in Saigon- a wow but very unique hotel! All of the tour guides were also great- so happy we upgraded the suite on the river cruise on Halong Bay (if you can squeeze in a second day to go ashore to the town you should - we couldn't spare the time, and also others highly raved about Siem Reip which we also couldn't spare the time and recommend an extra relaxation day there as well). Thao Vo was so kind and knowledgeable on the temple area in Vue and took a lot of photos for us to enjoy. I also will commend Realistic Asia when a lunch was included- they let us eat without the guides. I have been on some tours where we did not get a minute to ourselves to talk about our day and the guides sat down with us to eat too... it's a small thing but huge when you are with a guide all day to have some personal time so kudos! We were blessed to have time at a family wedding in HCMC and Tran arranged for a transfer to this hotel and the final pick up to fly out as well. Overall a great experience and I'd definitely encourage frequent travelers to use Realistic Asia when traveling to this region. Other tips: Don't 'believe' you need to only use a backpack to travel, although I can and have travel nicely using a backpack but we got hung up on all the YouTube videos of backpack travelers in SEA... if the backpack is already needing to be checked don't hesitate for a normal suitcase on wheels, the youtubers are on a budget and not really booking ahead like this trip is- if you are having a driver pick you up, using Grabs and going to nice hotels, they are going to carry it for you anyway so why suffer with a tiny bag.... don't get me wrong PACK LIGHT you really don't need much and can always buy a cheap bag to bring treasures home, but we used large backpacks and was inconvenient to squash each time we transferred to another hotel and it was kind of silly- we were not staying in hostels nor were we unsure of where we were staying next- use the suit case! Other tip: Don't be afraid to alter your trip with Realistic Asia, look at the suggested hotels and if you want one in the middle of the party- ask, they will certainly find you the perfect fit!Show more
  Traveled in February 2025
  

  Reply from: Realistic Asia

  Dear Nancy, Thank you for your incredibly detailed and thoughtful review! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a fantastic experience with Realistic Asia and that Tran and the team were able to ensure a smooth and well-planned journey for you. It's great to know that the balance of leisure and sightseeing worked well, and we appreciate your insights for frequent travelers who might hesitate to use a travel agency. Your comparison with independent travel really highlights the value of seamless planning, comfortable accommodations, and well-organized transfers. Your feedback on hotel choices, activities like the elephant tour in Chiang Mai, and tailoring clothes in Hoi An is super valuable. And your tip about packing is spot-on—comfort and convenience should always come first! We’re so glad you and your husband had an amazing time, and we truly appreciate your recommendation. Whenever you're ready for your next adventure, we'd love to help you explore even more of Southeast Asia! Realistic Asia team

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