Most Inspirational Moment
Whale Island and Ha Lon Bay
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent
I felt well taken care of throughout our trip and the guides seemed to care about our well being and enjoyed their jobs.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
It was everything that I expected. And more!
On previous Exodus cycle trips other cyclists in the group would say: Mike, have you been to Vietnam with Exodus? When I replied: No they said: just go! So I did, and with a friend, and we loved it. There were many amazing experiences and the accomodations were all much better than I expected. The only downside is the many hours sitting in planes (two 7 hour flights) to get there. Our group leader (Lam) was excellent too, keeping us well informed and smiling, even when we got caught in torrential rain!
Great trip. Amazing views.
This walking trip was a great way to spend a week. There’s a great variety of walks which meant each walking day was different and interesting. Staying at four different hotels across the week, we covered a lot of the island. We went at New Year and the weather was really mild, t-shirt weather during the day. The views were fantastic and it’s a lovely island. Highly recommended. Local food was great. A good balance of walking and some time to relax.
Most Inspirational Moment
On our last walking day we saw a spectacular sunrise from the mountain, Pico Arieiro. We then did a walk to two other mountains - challenging but worth it. The ancient Funal Forest was also quite magical.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide, Bruno, was very good - enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The weather is better than the UK but we did have some rain and it was quite cloudy at times. We did travel in January though! We were there for New Year and the fireworks in Funchal were brilliant.
A really beautiful adventure
My week in Oman was such a special experience. Having travelled there without much knowledge of the country, I was absolutely blown away with the beauty and adventure it has to offer. This was my first trip with Exodus and I was really impressed with the level of communication in the lead up to the trip. I felt secure and confident with the arrangements and had clarity with the itinerary and instructions throughout. The agenda for the week was jam-packed but it meant that we got to see SO much while we were there. It’s not a trip for someone looking to unwind and relax as there is very little time for that, but if you’re looking for amazing scenery, interesting experiences and fun memories, then this one is for you!
Most Inspirational Moment
My favourite part of the week was that we got to experience a different terrain/area every day. City, waterside, desert and mountains - there was literally always something new and amazing to see! The standout moments in particular for me were: - swimming in the wadi (I'll never forget that!) - watching the turtle lay eggs on the beach at night - watching the sunset in the desert - seeing the star filled sky from the beach and desert at night - standing on the edge of the canyon The views from lunch at Misfah Old House were also a delight.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Qais was a brilliant guide. So knowledgable, patient and friendly. I would recommend him as a guide to anyone travelling to Oman.
Advice for Potential Travellers
This isn't a relaxing holiday due to all of the travelling and scheduled sight seeing, but it also isn't majorly active either. There's adventure in the places you visit, but there isn't much in the way of physical activity (e.g. some walking and swimming but usually optional and nothing more exerting than that). This is a non-drinking country so alcohol is limited (you can only purchase in some hotels). This wasn't a problem for me and Exodus had made everyone aware before arriving, but some of the group were surprised/complained each day that alcohol wasn't an option with meals, etc. (which was quite disrespectful!) So it's worth bearing that in mind if alcohol consumption is something that would impact your trip significantly.
Rome, Assisi & Magical Umbria - Premium Adventure
Good balanced tour of Umbria and a little taste of Rome. It was a good combination of being active and walking through the country fields paths to enjoying a more relaxed activity of eating chocolate and wine. Every night we were treated with a lovely meal to chat about our day’s activities.
Most Inspirational Moment
It was nice to hike without the crowds. The only people you crossed paths with while in Umbria were the locals harvesting their olives and grapes. The cooking class inspired me to make Tiramisu for New Year's Eve dessert.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Nico was amazing, down to earth and was knowledgeable. He was able to keep the group organized and was able to adapt to our group's needs.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you have a good pair of walking shoes.
Bedouin Trails of Jordan & Egypt
The details of the trip were presented accurately. The guides were very knowledgable, helpful, and kind. They were able to tweak the schedule if safety or weather was a factor.
Most Inspirational Moment
Loved so much of it, but The Dead Sea, Petra, snorkeling (Mohammed was the best- so kind and knowledgeable He made us feel very safe, was able to do in water snorkel gear repairs, and named all the fish we were seeing.), driving thru Wadi Rum, climbing Mt. Sinai, and seeing the pyramids and sphinx.
Bedouin Trails of Jordan & Egypt
Most Inspirational Moment
Petra, Wadi Rum, Red Sea Snorkeling and Pyramids
Thoughts on Group Leader
Anas was very friendly and personable. He shared knowledge of the areas we visited. Improvement: His English was very good but a few times I had to listen closely to understand what he was saying. My understanding got better as time went on. Andrew shared his passion and love of ancient Egyptian history and it was great having him with us in the museum. Improvement: I do wish he had more information to share about St Catherine's Monastery, very little facts were shared about the history and the significance of this place. I would travel with both of these leader again
Rome, Assisi & Magical Umbria - Premium Adventure
The accommodation was lovely, the food was an absolute delight and the walks through vineyards and olive groves offered a picturesque, peaceful escape. The region itself is a welcome retreat away from the crowds, making it ideal for those seeking a tranquil and authentic experience.
Most Inspirational Moment
Walking through the vineyards and olive groves really gets you to slow down and savour your surroundings. Harvest season was a little later this year, so we were lucky enough to witness it. It was a unique treat , providing a firsthand look at the grape and olive picking process.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Nico was friendly and knowledgeable! He knew a lot of the various trails and routes in the area. He was also full of stories from his vast amount of travels from around the world. It made sitting around the dinner table after our walks very entertaining.
Excellent guide
Great trip.
Decent hotels except the last one in Kovalam- short of disaster. In a 20 year old guide book was already described as outdated, no words how it is now.
Excellent guide. Out of my 7 trips with Exodus I think he was the best one. Impeccable English, as opposed to some other guides on my other trips. Makes a difference when you understand what the guide is saying.
Most Inspirational Moment
Food.
Thoughts on Group Leader
As above. Excellent. Went above and beyond to accommodate everyone, share his knowledge and make the trip a real experience. Took time even when he didn’t have to to show us around and organized extra activities. I’m impressed.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Book your own transportation if you’re not on a group flight. I had drivers not show up even when it was booked and Exodus charges 5x as much as a taxi. (Kovalam: taxi 10 British pounds, Exodus offered me a ride for 55).
Great trip
A very different experience from the trips to northern India I had taken over the years. Made extra special as it was over Christmas and New Year.
A great variety of landscapes, experiences and people.
Most Inspirational Moment
The homestay and the Kerala houseboat cruise, as well as the cookery demonstrations. The best part, as always, was the people we met and who welcomed us so warmly.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Out group leader Sashith, was amazing!!! Kind, funny, knowledgeable and efficient. He has kept in touch and sent us some great recipes for us to try at homehe really did go the extra mile to make it a great holiday. Special mention for our driver who was very polite, efficient and careful!!!
Advice for Potential Travellers
It is very hot!!!! Take comfortable clothes, sunscreen and mosquito spray!
Cycling Vietnam Review
I rarely write reviews, but this experience warrants one. The trip leader and crew were excellent. They were organized, friendly and helpful. And the refreshments – the mangos, lemonade – everything was so good. However, the trip itinerary and discussions with Exodus personnel (though they were very nice) did not prepare me for the pollution, hazardous traffic (saw a semi-covered dead body in the countryside – could happen anywhere, but still marred the experience), subpar accommodations and lunches, and unexpected discussions of the US during the Vietnam War opened some wounds that I didn’t know were there. I suspect it would for many in the US, especially for those that served and their families The 12 out of 14 days of rain and wind in what was the dry season didn’t help either, but that’s weather. Everyone made the best of it. I got several items made in Hoi An. While they were very helpful and fast, I would not recommend getting anything tailored – overpriced and mediocre quality. I got to meet some wonderful travel companions. I saw some beautiful landscapes and smiles of the Vietnamese people. Unfortunately, the pollution and trash during 95% of the trip overshadowed anything good. For example, Halong Bay is ruined. Among the green waters and massive limestone structures is the smell of diesel fuel and trash with the immense number of boats/ships bringing so many people in to spoil it all. I would not recommend this trip. I hope that Vietnam decides to restore their environment and natural resources over tourism dollars. Exodus should be more comprehensive in its trip notes and conversations so that travelers like myself can better level set expectations. It’s surprising that an environmentally conscious company like Exodus would bring in people that contribute to the pollution. I wish Vietnam well and will look for ways to help. In the meantime, I will need to reflect on my life decisions. 🙂
Most Inspirational Moment
See above
Thoughts on Group Leader
See above
Advice for Potential Travellers
See above
Reply from Exodus
We’re grateful for Christina for leaving a review of her trip, and are glad to read her glowing praise of her tour leader and our local team in Vietnam. However, we really regret that she didn’t have the experience she was expecting in the country.
Vietnam is an iconic destination with a complex history which, unfortunately, does suffer from issues with pollution in some areas, especially those popular with tourists such as Ha Long Bay. Exodus travel in small groups and try to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment, and our local team do everything possible to ensure that any waste our groups produce is collected and disposed of responsibly. We’re working with our team to engage in local waste clean-up initiatives, and are confident that we’re doing our utmost to reduce our environmental impact on Vietnam, while still providing our customers with the opportunity to visit its most memorable sites.
We’re confident that we do a good job of setting our customers’ expectations about their visit to the country, but will consider reviewing our trip notes going forward.
We’re sorry to read that Christina found some of the accommodation to be subpar. The properties we use generally get very positive feedback; from the Holiday Evaluation forms we’ve received from customers who travelled to Vietnam on this trip in 2023, accommodation was rated at an average of 4.51 out of 5, which we consider to be an excellent score.
We wish Christina well for her future travels, and are glad that, despite the above, she saw some beautiful landscapes and came home inspired to help improve Vietnam’s environmental problems, which is an aim we share.
Kelly Reid, Exodus Product Manager