VIETNAM CAMBODIA AMD LOAS, MY REVIEW
VIETNAM CAMBODIA AND LAOS REVIEW FEBRUARY 2018
We flew Asiana Air from JFK via Seoul, 14 hours then 4 hours 40 mins. We flew business class using the AMEX offer of buy one get one free which they no longer offer. Fully refundable tickets. The dinner onboard was a six course gourmet experience and the best food we have ever had on a flight. The flight attendants were very friendly.
Tip, when you exit the plane and collect your baggage, there are two sets of exits to chose from to get you beyond the customs area. We could not see the Tauck rep, so went to the exit of the other set of Customs and they were not there either. We noticed a Metropole hotel employee (the hotel we were staying at) so asked him and he said the Tauck rep might be outside the building, which he was, I don’t think we have found them outside before, so if you arrive here, be sure to check outside too.
Our arrival coincided with the start of the New Year ‘Tet’ celebrations which tended to be a good thing as far as we were concerned, we arrived at the hotel around midnight and our tour was scheduled to begin at 6-30pm. A couple of people had arrived three days early and complained that the museums had all been closed and they felt Tauck should have told them about the new year and not had a tour over that time, we feel you have to do research and check for these things.
This was a small groups tour, we do not usually book these by choice but it was the time we wanted to travel, so we were expecting the number of people to be 24, it was 20, ten married couples, the first time we have been in a group with even numbers for ages. Most of our tours lately have not been full, personally we do not yet see the value of paying Extra for small group departures.
We were expecting to have a lazy day before the start of the tour in Hanoi, but our package from the tour director at the front desk informed us that we should meet him between 9 and 10am to surrender our passports and then he offered an orientation walking tour at 10-15am which lasted a good 1 hour fifteen minutes, we could then follow him back to the hotel or make our own way back which is what we did.
The city traffic was much lighter than usual but it gave us easier practice of crossing the road, the key being, don’t run, walk at a steady pace, don’t step back and don’t stop, this way the scooter drivers can gauge where you will be as they approach and can hopefully miss you. The Welcome reception began at 6pm and not 6-30 pm as stated n the green booklet, so be aware of these changes if you plan other things that day.
I am not reviewing everything because we usually find anything that Tauck has planned on the itinerary as worth while, I will give my tips and note any extra things we did that others may enjoy.
The New year time is lovely, the Vietnamese decorate with beautiful peach blossom trees at this time, beautiful pink blooms, in the north. In the south it is yellow blossom apricot trees, but there were some of these in Hanoi. There were lanterns everywhere. The roads might have been quieter but there were people everywhere dressed in their best clothes, families enjoying time together, we really enjoyed the atmosphere during this few days.
A note about our Welcome dinner dress. I wore a dress, one other woman had a skirt, my husband wore a nice dress shirt and pants, one man wore a jacket, the remainder wore everything from quite scruffy jeans including one woman with the hole in the knee look, I do not think it mattered if you were comfortable and we were in a private room anyway. Our tour director, Larry, a 30 plus year Tauck man was always smartly dresses and a laugh a minute. We are barely at halfway point as I write.
I am writing just before we leave Hoi An, we had to have our bags outside the door at 5am so we are waiting for breakfast to open.
Our highlight so far is a tour we all decided to take, a Vespa Scooter ride, we sat behind scooter drivers and rode a total of 40 kilometers for four hours through the beautiful countryside. Stopping and visiting ordinary homes, trying our hand at making rice cakes, weaving mats with an elderly couple, watching how rice wine is made and sampling, I did not try the 65% proof! Eating a late lunch outside in an organic vegetable farm, and more. $65 cash and probably going to be one of the highlights of the trip.
I will hope to add to this review as we go along, so check back for additions.
We flew Asiana Air from JFK via Seoul, 14 hours then 4 hours 40 mins. We flew business class using the AMEX offer of buy one get one free which they no longer offer. Fully refundable tickets. The dinner onboard was a six course gourmet experience and the best food we have ever had on a flight. The flight attendants were very friendly.
Tip, when you exit the plane and collect your baggage, there are two sets of exits to chose from to get you beyond the customs area. We could not see the Tauck rep, so went to the exit of the other set of Customs and they were not there either. We noticed a Metropole hotel employee (the hotel we were staying at) so asked him and he said the Tauck rep might be outside the building, which he was, I don’t think we have found them outside before, so if you arrive here, be sure to check outside too.
Our arrival coincided with the start of the New Year ‘Tet’ celebrations which tended to be a good thing as far as we were concerned, we arrived at the hotel around midnight and our tour was scheduled to begin at 6-30pm. A couple of people had arrived three days early and complained that the museums had all been closed and they felt Tauck should have told them about the new year and not had a tour over that time, we feel you have to do research and check for these things.
This was a small groups tour, we do not usually book these by choice but it was the time we wanted to travel, so we were expecting the number of people to be 24, it was 20, ten married couples, the first time we have been in a group with even numbers for ages. Most of our tours lately have not been full, personally we do not yet see the value of paying Extra for small group departures.
We were expecting to have a lazy day before the start of the tour in Hanoi, but our package from the tour director at the front desk informed us that we should meet him between 9 and 10am to surrender our passports and then he offered an orientation walking tour at 10-15am which lasted a good 1 hour fifteen minutes, we could then follow him back to the hotel or make our own way back which is what we did.
The city traffic was much lighter than usual but it gave us easier practice of crossing the road, the key being, don’t run, walk at a steady pace, don’t step back and don’t stop, this way the scooter drivers can gauge where you will be as they approach and can hopefully miss you. The Welcome reception began at 6pm and not 6-30 pm as stated n the green booklet, so be aware of these changes if you plan other things that day.
I am not reviewing everything because we usually find anything that Tauck has planned on the itinerary as worth while, I will give my tips and note any extra things we did that others may enjoy.
The New year time is lovely, the Vietnamese decorate with beautiful peach blossom trees at this time, beautiful pink blooms, in the north. In the south it is yellow blossom apricot trees, but there were some of these in Hanoi. There were lanterns everywhere. The roads might have been quieter but there were people everywhere dressed in their best clothes, families enjoying time together, we really enjoyed the atmosphere during this few days.
A note about our Welcome dinner dress. I wore a dress, one other woman had a skirt, my husband wore a nice dress shirt and pants, one man wore a jacket, the remainder wore everything from quite scruffy jeans including one woman with the hole in the knee look, I do not think it mattered if you were comfortable and we were in a private room anyway. Our tour director, Larry, a 30 plus year Tauck man was always smartly dresses and a laugh a minute. We are barely at halfway point as I write.
I am writing just before we leave Hoi An, we had to have our bags outside the door at 5am so we are waiting for breakfast to open.
Our highlight so far is a tour we all decided to take, a Vespa Scooter ride, we sat behind scooter drivers and rode a total of 40 kilometers for four hours through the beautiful countryside. Stopping and visiting ordinary homes, trying our hand at making rice cakes, weaving mats with an elderly couple, watching how rice wine is made and sampling, I did not try the 65% proof! Eating a late lunch outside in an organic vegetable farm, and more. $65 cash and probably going to be one of the highlights of the trip.
I will hope to add to this review as we go along, so check back for additions.
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Comments
So glad you are in Vietnam during the New Year celebrations. While many shops are closed ( not a big deal for us), and a number of sites were more crowded with families celebrating the holiday, we found the celebrations and decorations fascinating (had to step over many ash piles of burned fake money! ! We, too, felt very fortunate to have been there at that time. I’ll take being immersed in the culture during this special time any day over going through a museum...
If your TD is Larry A ( know they will “x” out the last name), you are in for a HUGE treat...best TD ever! And, he is a hoot! Kept us in hysterics most of the time, AND everything ran seamlessly.
And, I give you kudos for the Vespa ride! The traffic gave me the chills even high up in the bus! Of course, that was pre-India! As a side note, one of our local guides in India was very impressed with my “street-crossing skills” which I had honed in Vietnam!
Joyce
Thank you for the review. I was just wondering where you took the Vespa ride. Was it in Hoi An?
Thanks again for sharing your experiences.
Melanie
One suggestion. Please use a line space between your paragraphs. It makes for easier reading. Thanks.