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Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers  

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It’s the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you’re interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.

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182 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Reviews

Our tour guide made a great holiday fabulous.

Cosseted from start to finish. Vietnam was amazing but the trip was made even better by our fabulous tour guide, Anh Vuoung. Hanoi was mad and needs to be experienced to be believed. Ha Long bay lives up to expectations, and despite being warned about lots of steps, the cave was not arduous but was spectacular. The Da Nang Reunification museum was a different take on the ‘American war’ and the spirit of reconciliation was obvious. I’m glad that we did it. Hoi An was amazing too, and very different from other Vietnamese places, a mini Hong Kong with LED coloured lights everywhere. One of my favourite places. The Mekong boat trip was an eye opener, the Vietnamese people are so resourceful and friendly. We had feared that the trip might be a bit too cultural for us, but it was fine, and we enjoyed the visits, and very happy to be educated. We did an optional bike & boat ride, it was a great respite from this town based trip, touring open countryside with a guide, meeting locals and tasting the home made products. No complaints about accommodation at all, nice hotels and lovely home stay – even the overnight rail trip was fine -earplugs essential. I’d recommend this trip wholeheartedly, Exodus delivered for us yet again and their star, Anh was incredible. rn with breezes was a welcome respite from the heat.

Most Inspirational Moment

Ha Long bay overnight boat trip. Comfortable and very clean small wooden boat with reasonable size rooms - with double beds and en-suite/shower! It was the most chilled out time of the trip, and being seabo

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful Any minor hotel room glitches (broken hairdrier) were reported for us and dealt with swiftly. Nothing was too much trouble, Anh fitted local, cheap data SIM cards to our phones so the group could exchange pictures and receive last minute updates. She even reset our phones at the completion! Her manner was calm and knowledgeable, historical information was impartially delivered and presented in context. Food intolerances were easily catered for, Anh dealt slickly with these, and was often helping out the different restaurant staff so that we all ate at the same time. When we had non-inclusive meals she organised splitting the bill, no flaff, sorted.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t take too many jumpers.. Earplugs for the train and boat advised Almost no rain during our trip, (middle of March) Take a light umbrella for shade Just do it. It was great.

Marvellous Experience

Thoroughly enjoyed this trip, our guide Anh Vuong ensured every detail was covered and we packed in so much whether it be cultural, gastronomic or memorable experiences. Many additional activities on offer ie. Cooking class, street food tour, cultural island cycle ride to name a few, we believe we had a taste of every aspect of Vietnam life from north to south, contrasting city experiences, rural life and the amazing Mekong Delta and Halong Bay. All hotels were very good and we were welcomed everywhere we went from restaurants to peoples homes and places of work, Anh’s hard work and delightful personality was infectious and appreciated by all. The people of Vietnam have suffered so much yet they hold no ill will and are enthusiastic, warm and welcoming.

Most Inspirational Moment

The atmosphere Mekong Delta and Hoi An were excellent.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Anh was brilliant, her cultural and historic knowledge was very good and delivered with humour and sincerity, nothing was to much trouble and everyone felt great affection towards her within days.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for early starts and pack for multiple hotel changes.

A fascinating tour

From Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh in the south, a our through varying climates and cultures.

Most Inspirational Moment

Staying at a homestay in the Mekong Delta, delicious food cooked by the family and comfortable accommodation with en-suite facilities. The peacefulness of the countryside was a contrast to the busy cities. I also did the Angkor extension which I would recommend if you haven't seen the famous temples.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Bac Bui (BB) was excellent, very knowledgeable and helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have a selection of clothes for the different climates, cool in the north, hot in the south and cold in UK on your return. If you are doing the Angkor extension ,see below and be prepared.

Excellent trip highly recommend

A brilliant tour of Vietnam, good company in the small group and an excellent, informative guide. Our first organised trip as have always arranged these ourselves, and we were not disappointed. Exodus staff were helpful from the start when booking the tour, responsive to our questions and staff in Vietnam went the extra mile to make sure everything ran smoothly. Would recommend and already considering where our next adventure with Exodus might take us.

Most Inspirational Moment

The diversity of activities and the knowledge of our leaders who provided so much information that we would not have got without their guidance. Absolutely loved our visit to Hoi An which was unspoilt by the war damage, and the difference in cultures between the north and the south.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was excellent. He provided lots of detail about the places we visited, about the culture in Vietnam and his own experiences when growing up. This detail greatly enhanced our experience. He was very attentive to people in the group and dealt with queries or problems efficiently. He was particularly helpful and supportive to us to make sure my husband's needs were met, as he had a knee injury at the time of the trip. He did this in a quiet, discrete way, just checking in if he was OK and if he wanted to maybe not participate in a full activity. We really appreciated his kindness and support. He was on hand throughout the tour and also provided us with helpful tips on where to eat and what the local delicacies were for the different regions. We thought our leader was an asset to Exodus and the tour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you want a very active trip then maybe look for a different Vietnam tour. This one was fine for us, just what we wanted, but those who like more walking or cycling would maybe prefer a different itinerary. Because of the internal flights and overnight train, do think about the size of the luggage you take. Large cases do not fit under the train seats!!

'Vietnam Adventure' Says It All

A really fantastic insight into past and present life in Vietnam. The two week trip is packed full. Sights include temples, pagodas, paddy fields, caves, rivers, beautiful lanterns, war tunnels, war museums and spectacular sea views. Activities include walking, cycling, an overnight train journey, ferry rides, boat trips, including an overnight stay in a cabin, another night at a family Homestay; active participation in demonstrations of making reed mats, rice wine, rice noodles, coconut candy and incense sticks. The sheer volume of traffic and numbers of motorbikes all constantly sounding their horns whilst weaving around each other has to be seen to be believed, yet they are driven in a very non aggressive manner and somehow manage to avoid collisions. Bartering for holiday momentoes is great fun and the food variety is enormous and delicious with something for everyone. (You might well give sticky rice and noodles a miss for a few weeks once you return home!) So much more I could include, but go and find out for yourself, you won’t regret it.

Most Inspirational Moment

Very difficult to answer, but the sheer beauty of Halong Bay takes some beating, but I also loved all the activities involving the Vietnamese communities and witnessing their lifestyles. Cycling and boat trips on the Mekomg Delta River were fantastic experiences too.

Thoughts on Group Leader

BAC (BB) is a top man! His enthusiasm, vast knowledge, professionalism, humility, sense of humour and advice was first rate. Everything he organised ran smoothly, from minibuses turning up on time, to never having to queue for entrance tickets at venues. Every restaurant he took us too was a resounding success. As a group we all gelled really well and were privileged to have him as our leader. BB is a true credit to Exodus and his country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be assertive and purposeful when crossing the road, or you will wait forever, as nobody will ever stop for you!

A great county to visit

The itinerary was good and varied. The sites visited are interesting and fun, my favourites was Saigon as there was so much to see and do followed very closely by Hoi An which was a really great riverside town full of many restaurants shops and market stalls. plus you could get clothes made to measure within 24 hours,,, Flights to Vietnam there and back are long haul flights involving stop overs on the flights so be prepared for sometimes long waits inbetween planes This is a great trip so much so that i have now been there with Exodus twice

Most Inspirational Moment

Marble Mountain was mentioned by many on the trip as an unforgettable place to visit with great views and caves. For the less willing there is a lift plus stairs and for the more able you can walk all the way to the top.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide, Tuyen was a really likeable guy who was always willing and helpful. He took care of all requests however trivial and tried very hard to ensure all guest were comfortable and had what they needed. If people wanted to explore sites on their own he ensured they knew when and where to meet up afterwards. He looked after the group very well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes, you do need a modicum of fitness to do this tour but not so much as you might fear. There were all ages in the group and everyone always found a way, even me! Clothing ? travel light and if you do find yourself needing an item of clothing, don't overpack your suitcase! prices in Vietnam are very very affordable

Best holiday!

This was my first trip out of Europe and really glad I picked Exodus to do it with.

The trip was well organised, plenty of places to visit and things to do, a great range of included and optional activities (which are all well worth doing!).

Our group leader was Phuong Le – she was amazing, gave us a lot of information about each place we visited, plus teaching us about the history and some of the language.

100% recommend this trip if you want to visit Vietnam!

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting the local families and restaurants for lunch/dinner, and seeing Halong Bay in real life!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Amazing! Phuong Le was great, couldn't have asked for a better group leader. She gave us so much information about each place we went, taught us some of the language and took us to some amazing local restaurants.

Vietnam Adventure

A good start with the best coffee i’ve ever had by the lake nr Hanoi Hotel
The holiday was extremely varied, showing so many aspects of Vietnam – chaotic cities with ‘formation dancing’ motorbikes ignoring most traffic lights but managing never to collide – the peace and quiet of Halong Bay and the Mekong Delta.
The hotels and their buffet breakfasts were all top class, the ‘homestay’ was more like a basic ‘eco hotel’ , was in a peaceful spot and had bikes you could borrow.
The original itinerary bike trip in Hue was discontinued, but made up for in Hoi An, with a ride plus a coracle and boat trip and the bonus that bikes could be kept for the rest of the day.
I took advantage of this whilst Margaret went for the best massage she has ever had!
The Reunification Express was very comfortable and could only be improved on if you were allowed to hang out of the doors or ride on the roof.!
I could have done without the CuChi tunnels and would have preferred a 2/3 hr walk in quiet, scenic countryside as an option.
All in all – A great holiday with a great group.

Most Inspirational Moment

Bits of every day really

Thoughts on Group Leader

Phuong Le (pronounced 'Ful') was lovely - excellent English, always there and approachable, great sense of humour. Her organisational skills were outstanding - Bus, boats, train, bikes,restaurant tables, takeaways, always appeared as if by magic. She even managed to time the odd heavy downpour for when we were under cover. She gave us in-depth talks too, on subjects like driving, marriage etc

Advice for Potential Travellers

Our group used many different airlines, so check the options. We used Thai Airlines via Bangkok which looked considerably quicker than others.

Fantastic trip to Vietnam and then to Cambodia (Angkor Wat extension)

This was our first ever group tour holiday so we didn’t quite know what to expect, however we loved every part of it. The itinerary is full to enable you to see what’s on offer in the region but it allows some down time. We wouldn’t have seen all that we did if we did it under our own steam. Having read previous reviews we took advice and went for all the optional extras that were offered, and thoroughly enjoyed them all, including kayaking in Halong Bay, the cyclotaxi ride, cycling and round boats, Vietnamese cookery course and the floating village near Siem Reap. The boat accommodation and food in Halong Bay was first class. The overnight train was an experience but was better than we thought it might have been, and we did actually manage some sleep. We also enjoyed the night in the homestay. We would totally recommend this trip and if you’re lucky enough to have Phuong Le as your leader in Vietnam you will be well looked after. We were also well looked after by our guides in Cambodia, albeit for shorter times and thanks to Johnny Temple we have some very creative photographs to remember our trip to the Angkor Thom complex.

Most Inspirational Moment

We would like to think that the most inspirational moment of our trip was our Vietnamese cookery course in that we would hope it will inspire us to try cooking Vietnamese recipes at home! However the most thought provoking moments had to be the trips to the Remnants of War museum in Ho Ch Minh city. the Cu Chi tunnels, and especially in Cambodia the trips to S21 and the Killing Fields.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Phuong Le is an excellent group leader. She was always on hand if we needed her and she did her utmost to make sure we enjoyed every moment. Her knowledge of the destinations, history and culture are excellent and she managed the right balance between taking to us and letting us relax on the various bus trips. She seemed very quickly to understand the characteristics of the various individuals in the group and has a great sense of humour which all helped the group to gel with one another. We will not forget her as a couple of her phrases have already made it into our daily vocabulary.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If travelling in August you won't need anything of the "slightly warmer in case it's chilly in the evenings" category, not even on the boat. Take plenty of lightweight tops as you might want to change during the day due to the humidity but there are options for laundry. We would recommend trying all the optional extras that are offered - nothing is expensive by UK standards. If you go to Cambodia you only need US dollars, not Cambodian currency.

The full Vietnam Experience

This was a great trip, taking in a multitude of sights across the length of Vietnam, right from Hanoi in the north down to the Mekong Delta in the south. The guide was excellent, very knowledgeable and friendly, helpful and funny. The food was amazing, the hotels all comfortable. The sleeper train is quite an experience. Don’t expect luxury – just a hard mattress and a bumpy ride. My group were well looked after the entire time.

Most Inspirational Moment

Just walking around the cities and seeing how people live a totally different lifestyle half a world away.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. Very knowledgeable, friendly. Helpful, always ready to give recommendations on food options, restaurant choices or optional sights to go and see.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't book unless you can cope with high heat and humidity, and don't expect comfort and modernity from the sleeper train. Be prepared to go for some periods of time without access to a shower and for long walks. But it's all worth it to see the sights.