Vietnam & Angkor Wat

Traveler Reviews

• KM

  Keith4.5•November 2017
  Previously I had traveled on my own; food was hit and miss. This tour organized a lot of activities and offered...
  Previously I had traveled on my own; food was hit and miss. This tour organized a lot of activities and offered expert food guidance - two of the biggest advantagesShow more
  Traveled in November 2017
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  Susan4.0•November 2013
  A very interesting & mixed trip. Fascinating country, my eyes were out on stalks most of the time. All life can be...
  A very interesting & mixed trip. Fascinating country, my eyes were out on stalks most of the time. All life can be seen on the back of a motor bike. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing the traffic flow like water around locals & tourists crossing the road. What did you think of your group leader? Phoung was an excellent leader, couldn't have done any more for us. He was more disappointed than our group when Halong Bay boat trip had to be cancelled due to weather. He organised a party in his room to try to cheer us up. The fact he successfully got everyone across the road every time is a credit to him. He was ever cheerful, knowledgable and guided us all to having the best possible time we could. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Its hot & humid. Light cotton clothing. Hat & umbrella essential.  Dollars accepted everywhere but local currency useful in Vietnam, not needed at all in Cambodia. Best shopping by far in HoiAn. Well worth getting clothes made, even simple pair of black trousers. Rehydration salts essential. Locals friendly, never felt threatened or uncomfortable.  Laundry cheap & very available. Busy most of the time with a few long coach journeys as well as the flights. Is there anything else you would like to add? We booked our own flights as we didn't fancy the long stop over on the return hjouney with Exodus. We arrived a day earlier in Hanoi so were better rested before the trip started. Had a great day exploring Hanoi on our own. Also stayed another day in Siem Reap at the end which was time well spent. Try to get to the circus if you can - street kids trained up with skills that they use to can earn a living - very funny & so talented.Show more
  Traveled in October 2013
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  Audrey4.0•March 2012
  A whilstle stop tour of the highlights of Vietnam - with each destination having its own character. Served with...
  A whilstle stop tour of the highlights of Vietnam - with each destination having its own character. Served with great food. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The best bits:The trip was worth while for the food - which was very fresh and tasty.  The market trips were very interestingShopping in Hoi AnThe contrast of Angkar WatThe Vietnam War Museum & tunnels in SaigonMeeting the rest of the Group! What did you think of your group leader? Dzung was outstanding as a tour leader.  He went the extra mile at every opportunity to make sure that everybodies expectations were met.  He was immensely professional but also relaxed & smiley. Dzung made a good trip great and is a great ambassador for Exodus. Thank You. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The trip is leisurely but there is a lot of travelling around so there is not much opportunity for a lie in.  The Vietnamese seem to get up early, so the hotels were often quite noisey first thing so bring earplugs.  Have lots of space in your luggage for the shopping!Road crossing freaked a few people but you soon get the hang of it.Consider booking your flights separately - the eight hour layover in KL made for a long flight home. Is there anything else you would like to add? The itinerary for the trip altered in line with feedback from previous trips - thanks to Exodus for listening. Show more
  Traveled in February 2012
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  Rosemary4.0•March 2012
  I had wanted to do this trip for some time, and specifically chose it to avoid any long bus/train journeys. I enjoyed...
  I had wanted to do this trip for some time, and specifically chose it to avoid any long bus/train journeys. I enjoyed it greatly, particularly thanks to Dzung, the tour leader, who made an incredible effort to ensure we all experienced whatever it was that had drawn us to Vietnam. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Cycling for 4 hours in the countryside surrounding Hoi An in a small group with a local guide (organised by our TL) who knew his ways through the many waterside paths. It rained but that made it a truely Vietnamese experience.The variety of food available. The cooking school in Hoi An was enjoyable and a nice inclusion.Kareoke with some of the group in Saigon; organised by our tour leader in a private room place which also had good food and cheap beer. The Mekong Delta - I knew little about it before going and the various boat trips took us to see a variety of industries and environs. What did you think of your group leader? Superb. Dzung is one of the best tour leaders I have experienced, and mature beyond his 26 years. He established early on what sort of experiences, food etc that we were all interested in and made sure we were given the opportunities we sought.My only disappointment with the tour leading is that Dzung was left behind when we left for the last 2 days in Angkor and the "tour leader" in Cambodia was sub-standard - basically he was a historical guide who did not look out for us at all. It was a flat end to what had been a good tour, and given it was the most "deluxe" type of Exodus tour, it seemed mean not to keep the Vietnamese tour leader for the last 2 days to ensure the group ended on a "high". Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don't expect Halong Bay to be the highlight; it's a mass touristy experience and care for the environment seems minimal. The water was full of floating rubbish and the boats didn't appear to have holding tanks or the courtesy not to run noisy generators all night. Eating out in Vietnam is cheap so order more than you think you might eat and share some of your "finds" with others in your group.Try to take lots of US$1 notes if you can get them as they are useful for tips, purchases etcDon't sit at the front of the bus if you are a nervous passenger as Vietnamese road usage is scary! I didn't take the group flights, and the others complained about them (seat size, route and stopovers). I paid a bit more to fly via Bangkok, but it saved me 8 hours travelling on the way home, so I thought was money well spent.   Is there anything else you would like to add? Earlier reviews mention going to a beach and it looks like Exodus removed that component, which we didn't miss at all. Personally I would have liked to spend another day in the Mekong Delta area as a contrast to Saigon and Hanoi, but overall the timings weren't bad, aside from the 2 days required to "do" Halong Bay. This was a confortable tour with good hotels, nice breakfasts, a big bus (in Vietnam) and enough free time to do our own thing as well as see the "must see" highlights with the group.Show more
  Traveled in February 2012
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  Ian4.0•March 2012
  This trip gave a good overview of the country, its history and culture. Doing a multi stop trip afforded us some...
  This trip gave a good overview of the country, its history and culture. Doing a multi stop trip afforded us some quality time in each location, we were able to absorb the different atmosphere between north and south and see the things we most wanted to What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? difficult to decide on one, but enjoyed kayaking in Halong bay, looking around Hoi An, the Cu chi tunnels and war museums in Hanoi and Saigon.  Angkor Wat complex was also clearly in a league of its own. What did you think of your group leader? Very friendly, helpful and wanted to help us make the most of our stay in his country. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Only to choose carefully between the different types of holiday available from Exodus in Vietnam.  There are many ways to see the country and you have to work out your priorities and work this in with the travel arrangements Show more
  Traveled in February 2012
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  Alison4.0•March 2011
  An excellant trip which I would recommend to others. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Really...
  An excellant trip which I would recommend to others. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Really enjoyed the boat trip on Halong Bay and the cookery lesson. What did you think of your group leader? Amazing. A top class leader. It was our 25th Wedding Anniversary when we were away and he made it a special event. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? It can be cold in the North so go prepared. Is there anything else you would like to add? It would be good if a cycling half day in Hoi An could be included. We did it alone and really enjoyed it. A local guide would have been well worth it.Show more
  Traveled in February 2011
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  Bruce4.0•January 2011
  This trip is a great taster for Vietnam and Cambodia. There are parts which can feel a bit rushed (see additional...
  This trip is a great taster for Vietnam and Cambodia. There are parts which can feel a bit rushed (see additional comments), but overall the pace is fairly relaxed and yet still covers most of the top highlights of the region. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The temples at Angkor are incredible.  Pictures don't give you a real idea of the scale and just how many there are.  That stop alone makes the trip worth it.In Vietnam, Halong Bay has spectacular scenery and is a real highlight.  I also enjoyed the food, in particular the lunch that our tour guide organised with a host family. What did you think of your group leader? Both group leaders in Vietnam and Cambodia were excellent.In Vietnam, Triet organised plenty of extra activities and was genuinely interested in showing us plenty of authentic Vietnamese culture and way of life.In Cambodia, Thy was a wealth of information and even stayed on to take my wife and I round further as we stayed an extra day. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Change money in Vietnam - the rate offered even at the hotels was about 10% better than what I got this end before going, and they don't charge any commission.  Everything in Cambodia is priced in US dollars.Spend an extra day or 2 in Cambodia after the trip.  The temples are massive and you could easily spend 3 days going round them.  Also means you'll be there on a Saturday night and can go to the Beatocello concert at the children's hospital - a very worthy cause.Do get your tour leader to take you to the Cu Chi tunnels outside Saigon - worth the visit. Is there anything else you would like to add? It's been mentioned in other reviews, but Mui Ne is still not worth the more than 10 hours round trip on the bus.  It would have been much better to have more time in Saigon or the Mekong delta, both of which were a bit rushed.Show more
  Traveled in December 2010
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  Kenneth4.0•November 2009
  Fascinating countries and wonderful people made this still a great holiday despite the desperate disappointment of...
  Fascinating countries and wonderful people made this still a great holiday despite the desperate disappointment of missing the Halong Bay cruise due to typhoon Ketsana. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? I had hoped that this would be Halong Bay as that was what had attracted me to this holiday in the first place but even Exodus cannot control typhoons!In vietnam the marble mountain, the Mekong Delta, the water puppets, the local markets and the cookery session were my favourites. In Cambodia Angkor Wat was just amazing, in particular the temples that have been invaded by the alien tree roots. What did you think of your group leader? He really earned his keep on this trip as we were on about his 6th contingency plan due to typhoons, flooding and blocked roads. Cuong, in Vietnam, was really friendly and helpful and did his utmost to find us alternatives when the weather intervened. In Cambodia the leader was good and very knowledgeable but a little less in tune with the group. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Keep in mind that this is an area where plans may have to be changed but don't let that put you off. It's a wonderful trip. Is there anything else you would like to add? Although Mui Ne was a pleasant seaside resort I did not think it was worth the two long and uncomfortable road journeys there and back and would much rather have had extra days at the Mekong Delta and at Angkor Wat.Show more
  Traveled in October 2009
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  Dave4.0•November 2009
  Exceeded our expectations - this was our first "tour" and we uncertain of the group travel as we typically on our...
  Exceeded our expectations - this was our first "tour" and we uncertain of the group travel as we typically on our own. We experienced places that would not be possible going alone with a guide book plus we did not worry about hotels, transport, or safety. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Standing in the temples at Angkor Wat was incredible!    Having the opportunity to see Vietnamese cultures from north to south. Seeing the results of a typhoon and how the local population were impacted - in Hoi An What did you think of your group leader? Very caring of all the individuals in the group.   Ensured all our personal needs and diets were looked after.   Great source of local information.   Filled in the gaps at museums, points of interest, and local culture. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? See Vietnam before the developers build the 5 star beach resorts.   Is there anything else you would like to add? We were uncertain what to expect - concerned about hotels and food.   It was a fantastic experience! Exceeded our expectations.  Looking at the next trip with Exodus nowShow more
  Traveled in October 2009
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  Wayne5.0•August 2008
  Excellent holiday. Did not want it to finish when it did. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?...
  Excellent holiday. Did not want it to finish when it did. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Halong bay- simply breathtakingVietnamese cooking class day. Very well organised and thought out-from the market exploration (cheif explained the different herbs and vegetables etc) to eating what we cooked. Can now make spring rolls and make sculptures from tomatoes and cucumbers!Loved Hoi An!Mekong Delta trip- brilliant even though it rained!Angkor Wat...WOW What did you think of your group leader? Excellent, easy going, very informative, very approachable and hard working. He did put himself out for us and genuinely wanted us to enjoy his country. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? No Is there anything else you would like to add? One suggestion. We felt that the 6 hour trip from Saigon to Mui Ne beach for only one day relaxation in Mui Ne was too far, only to have another 6 hours drive back to Saigon next day. Perhaps best to stay at beach resort closer to Saigon or an extra day at Mui Ne.Show more
  Traveled in July 2008