Cycling Vietnam

115 Reviews

Excellent

75%

Good

25%

Average

0%

Rather Poor

0%

Bad

0%

• DS

  Deidre
  Written on May 19, 2018

  5.0 - Excellent

  Danh the guide was just faultless, his knowledge, time management, humour, people skills and persona were excellent.

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• ML

  Mary
  Written on February 28, 2018

  5.0 - Excellent

  The planning, organization and accommodation were excellent. Our guide, Long Lee, was wonderful - informative, humorous and firm, he did an excellent job of encouraging and inspiring us while keeping us safe. His support staff were ever thoughtful, helpful and reliable. The only area I would recommend improvement in was the Rincon mountain bikes. Giant hasn't made those bikes for a number of years now and, they are in my opinion, really showing their age. The gears did not shift smoothly and one of our rider's seats came off suddenly. It is time to replace these bikes. I loved the tour. One of the questions I will ask when signing up for another will be the age of the bikes we'll be riding.

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  Krisztina
  Written on November 5, 2017

  4.5 - Excellent

  It was a truly amazing tour, exceeded all expectations - even after reading many many good reviews. Our tour guide, Lam, and his team, Xiu, Sao and Chu were brilliant, superbly organized, extremely helpful and always cheerful. Lam is a wonderful motivator who managed to get all 16 of us to cycle the Hai Van Pass in lashing rain and high winds - couldn't have done without him. We tried a variety of means of transport as well as accommodations and dining - all of which added some extra value to this already unforgettable trip.The beautiful scenery, friendly people and remarkable sights along the way kept us amazed and made it the journey of a lifetime. I can only recommend it.

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• PH

  Penny
  Written on September 19, 2015

  3.5 - Good

  My husband and I joined the 14 days Vietnam Cycling via Exodus Travel. Everything was good if not great. Except 3 "little" things: 1. We were expected to pay approximately US$100 per person of tips to all the guides. I do not mind about the money because the service was excellent, however I prefer this was told before I joined the tour rather than after we arrived the destination. 2. The lunch provided were just not good. No way close to "mouth watering" as stated. Not only lack of local specialties, they were extremely boring. In fact, I thought of "my sister's cooking when she was very sick". 3. There were NO space for our bikes on the train. We informed Exodus that we were bringing our own bikes in boxes and they said no problem. However, only when we were ON the train at Hue that we were told " you are not allow to bring your bike on the train, and there is NO place to store your bike". The result was we were given a "teaching" on the train, and several "fines" by the several "officials" when we arrived the destination. As there were NO space to store our bikes, the only space was one of our bed. In another words, we were not able to "sleep" from Hue to Hanoi overnight train.

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  Anonymous
  Written on November 7, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  This was one of the most memorable holidays i have had- largely due to our fabulous, amusing and passionate group leader - Tho ( Tom) Nugyen, the fun loving fellow cyclists and the delightful Vietnamese people we met along the journey. The  route was interesting, the cycling was challenging enough to remain  enjoyable and our guide and support crew went out of their way to make it the best experience for us. I loved every part of Cycling Vietnam and would recommend it to anyone who wanted to experience authentic Vietnam.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Each day had a highlight for me! The 30km downhill was a real buzz, visiting the Buddhist monestry and orphanage was heart renching, the fabulous fresh fruit, drinks and sweets prepared by the crew for our morning and afternoon breaks, the delightful children along our route and the wonderful overnight boat trip in Ha Long Bay would be up there with especially memorable moments.What did you think of your group leader?Tho Nugyen was such a nice person with a wonderful sense of humour, and his passion and respect for his country was contagious. As the group leader Tho set the tone for the group and he was a joy to be around. He looked out for each member of the  group and tried to ensure that each person achieved what they wanted from their holiday. Tho went out of his way to smooth arrangements impacted by the typhoon and we felt that Tho went the extra effort to resolve any issues  that arose- he was often seen with 3 phones on the go at once!!.  I loved especially how Tho would present us with the problem and 2 - 3 ways to resolve it. He was a real gem, knowledgeable, informative and thoughtful and his goal was to make this trip a memorable experience for us - and indeed it was.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?You should be cycling fit to obtain the maximum benefit and enjoyment from the trip. All up we cycled around 550 kms ranging each day from between 30 kms to around 107km- and there was some undulating ( read "hilly') passages along they way with temperatures reaching the 30s on occasions. While the bus and support crew are there to help and you can leap onto the bus when your legs have had enough, the best sightseeing and interaction with locals comes when you are on your bike.Is there anything else you would like to add?This is the only guided tour i have done and the 'Cycling Vietnam' trip exceeded my expectations. Tho and the support crew were thoroughly professional and I was impressed by the level of organisation that went into each day. It was a fabulous experience in every way.
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  Anonymous
  Written on November 5, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  We had a great time.  Danh was a great tour leader, full of enthusiasm for his country, our trip, cycling and our enjoyment.  Led his team superbly.  Never fazed by mini "disasters", took everything in his stride and with a smile.  We had a very good taste of the real Vietnam, not just the tourist traps.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Don't really like long downhills but really enjoyed the 34K descent we did.  Total quiet, beautiful scenery, fabulous.  And of course Hoi An is truly wonderfulWhat did you think of your group leader?Simply the best, better than all the rest.  Have been on many cycle trips with Exodus and your competitors, so I feel I am qualified to judge.   Danh never just went the extra mile, he went the extra 500K.  It always felt that we were his number one priority and nothing was too much trouble.  I think he was a true friend to all of us.Very knowledgable about his country, history, customs etc. Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Several laundry opportunities so you really don't need all those clothes.........Is there anything else you would like to add?Would like to see always something on the back of my bike  to carry my bits and pieces, not a full sized pannier, but something.Have been to Vietnam before and really think a missing part of this trip is the Mekong Delta - but of course you would have to take something else out!
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  Anonymous
  Written on November 4, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  Fantastic holiday - cycling is a great way to see the country. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Each cycling day had many highpoints, but for me the best day was the last one when we cycled 10k up the Danang-Hue pass, then 10k down again in torrential rain !! Ended the trip cycling through the villages as the children were leaving school.What did you think of your group leader?Simply the best ! My expectations for future exodus trip have been set extremely high. Not only were Danh and his team 110% safety conscious, he also ensured we experienced a variety of excellent food and gave us extensive insight into the culture and history of the country.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?The hotel accomodation was far better than I expected, so don't bother with a mosquito net !The markets in Ho Chin Minh sold good quality rucksacks, waterproofs, caps, casual crossbody bags plus lots more, so providing you plan to get there before midnight, you could pick up most things you need when you get there. Oh, and if you fly Malaysia airlines, carry plenty of spare clothes on the airplane with you. On the way there the baggage missed the connecting flight, and on the way back there was a 14 hour delay in KL - we were sent to a hotel for the night without luggage. Malaysia airlines don't supply sleepmasks/earplugs/toothpaste/toothbrush like most other airlines do on long haul. Is there anything else you would like to add?Try and watch Top Gear Vietnam before you go !!
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  Anonymous
  Written on November 2, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  A wonderful holiday - fabulous country, great company, delicious food, spectacular scenery, and the best guide ever (Danh). What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Getting to the top of the "bloody" hill (it was only big in our minds!); Drinking beer on nursery stools in the road; Watching sea eagles fish; Cycling downhill through a herd of goats when I couldn't see where I was going because of torrential rain; Being entertained by Danh, whose giggle is infectious! What did you think of your group leader?They don't get any better! Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Do this trip, you won't regret it! Just ensure you are moderately fit, the rest will come with practice!
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  Anonymous
  Written on August 31, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  Great mix of activity, culture, history and socialising
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  Anonymous
  Written on July 31, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  Friendly, helpful staff; quality hotels; nice roads and a great route.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The last full day of cycling had about 30km on the flat then a 10km climb, 10km descent and then about 50km flat. The climb was challenging but not impossible. I was amazed at how much fitness I gained whilst on holiday. Since it was the last major day of cycling, I decided to ride as quickly as I could for the last 30km and was amazed that I continued to feel great as I pushed myself well beyond what I would have been capable of just a few weeks earlier. It was so nice to relax in the hotel pool after such a day.What did you think of your group leader?The leader was friendly and helpful. He had some great insights into Vietnamese culture and history.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?I was the only person on my trip with my own bike (a touring bike). Whilst it was lovely to be on my own wheels, I think it was more trouble than it was worth. After buying a new suit in Hoi An, I ended up paying about US$200 in excess baggage so there was no real cost savings.Is there anything else you would like to add?Cycling is a wonderful way to see Vietnam. It is quite a densely populated country so even though we were in the country, most of the time there were plenty of houses around and there were no shortage of children shouting "hello" or wanting high-fives as we went past.It was fantastic to be driven to the best places to ride. I expected more potholes and gravel road but often the roads were of about the same standard as my local area (Melbourne, Australia). Having said this, I would not want to ride a racing road bike on this trip. I have a pretty solid tourer and that was perfect. This sort of trip could be done without a touring company like Exodus but it wouldn't be half as enjoyable. Being ferried to the right places to ride, regular drink stops with lemon drink and tropical fruits being served as well as having all the accomodation hassles removed is worth every cent of the cost of the tour.This was my first Exodus trip but many other travellers had done several. I can see why. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who wants to have a holiday and come back in better shape than when they left.