Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

For me there was no single stand-out moment. Such was the variety of this adventure that comparison is meaningless.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Trung is an exceptional group leader and consummate professional. From start to finish, Trung went over and above to ensure that all of us went home not only with memories of an amazing country of such diverse beauty, but also a sound insight into its history and its people - all achieved with superb organisational skills, but above all with a clear love of his country which he conveyed with passion, enthusiasm, thoughtfulness and wit. He is truly an asset to Exodus! AND Trung also has a superb voice - if he should ever consider an alternative vocation, then he should be on the stage!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just go! You will not be disappointed!

Suggestions

Along with one other couple we followed this adventure with the Angkor Wat extension. In stark contrast to our Vietnam Adventure, we did not feel that this shorter trip represented "value for money". The timings of flights, both to Siem Reap, then to Phnom Penh, and then from Phnom Penh onwards on our home flight, meant that there was an awful lot of wasted time. We should have had a "sunset" at Angkor Wat on Day 1 - but the timing of the flight meant that all was closed by the time we arrived; we left Siem Reap at 12 noon and spent the rest of the day travelling to Phnom Penh; and then found ourselves "killing time" waiting for our transfer on our homeward journey. (We had covered the highlights of PP with our guide and there was little more we could achieve in the time available.) Our guide, Anna, at Angkor Wat was First Class and her English was very good. She was clearly very knowledgeable and was able to pack a lot into the time she spent with us. However, our guide, Sa, in Phnom Penh was only just up to the task at hand. His English was pretty poor and there was a lot of "repetition". He was clearly doing his best, but it wasn't really good enough. Unfortunately, too, on our arrival at Phnom Penh, his "contact board" indicated names which were not ours. On establishing that he was in fact waiting for us - which we confirmed via our paperwork as he didn't have any - he indicated that he had asked his "boss" for confirmation, and had been told that names weren't important and it would all be alright. Whilst we felt visiting Phnom Penh provided an opportunity to experience the Killing Field and Phnom Penh itself, we would have preferred to have spent more time in Angkor Wat itself.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to stay in the village of Tighza

Thoughts on Group Leader

Khaled was extremely knowledgeable, patient and kind. He was an excellent leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you are travelling mid season, pack layers. It was colder than we expected.

Suggestions

This trip was more spectacular than I imagined. I can't wait to go back to Morocco!

Most Inspirational Moment

The long drive from Bukhara to Samarkand, stopping for drinks and toilet breaks in places where people have been doing exactly the same thing for thousands of years!

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader, Dilshod, was excellent. Incredibly knowledgeable and experienced, he balanced the needs of a diverse group very well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't listen to anyone who tells you that Uzbekistan is unsafe or inaccessible. The recent tourism initiative has got rid of pretty much all red-tape, and there is virtually no street crime etc. Much less stressful than travelling in Egypt or the US! The vegetarian food is also much better than everyone leads you to believe.

Suggestions

There were several problems with the admin before leaving - I'd requested an extended return flight many months before departure, but incorrect docuemts were sent through repeatedly. I'd already paid for this and was provided with the updated invoice, but the onus was on me to find the emails where this had been requested and agreed. Luckily I requested to be booked into the end hotel for additional nights, as otherwise the error would not have come to light and I would have been stranded at the other end! I requested additional nights at the end hotel, but was booked into their sister place. Luckily the leader was able to resolve this for me but, if I had known I might need to move hotel, I would have booked myself into a cheaper/more conveniently located place. It seems that everything is fine if you book the standard arrangement, but I'd now hesitate to arrange even the simplest extensions through Exodus again. I spent more time checking documents and pushing for what I'd requested than I would have spent making the arrangements myself, and feel like I paid a premium for this.

Most Inspirational Moment

The positive energy driven by the team leadership....day in and day out.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jackie Garcia

Advice for Potential Travellers

This trip is very busy and very rewarding. I was pleasantly surprised that even though there were not long bicycle days, each day was packed with visiting parks and beaches that were made interesting by the knowledge the team leadership shared at each stop.

Suggestions

Drop the Puerto Viejo segment of the trip. Long transport to and from took away from the overall joy of the trip. Suggest you add an extra day in the Mt Arenal area with an extra ride on one of the nearby nice roads. Plus La Fortuna is a great little town.

Most Inspirational Moment

Such a difficult question as there were so many. If pushed, I would highlight the kayaking in Ha Long Bay (which I didn't even know we would be doing) and the sunrise visit to Angkor Wat. Both were "pinch me" moments in a trip which has created so many memories.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both were everything we hoped for. Bon in Vietnam was great. He ensured we arrived at the kayaking and caves in Ha Long Bay and at the Cu Chi tunnels when the crowds had left which greatly enhanced our visits. He had great recommendations for places to eat which catered for all in our group. Chesda in Cambodia was super - witty and funny, she kept us to time and nothing was too much trouble. She was very informative and helped us understand the history, culture and religion of her country. There was so much to learn. Thank you both.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We took all our Vietnamese Dong to Vietnam although the exchange rates were good in the country. For Cambodia, take US Dollars in brand new $20, $10 notes if you can. Both countries were affordable and felt very safe. For our travel in March, we underestimated how hot and humid the second half of the trip would be. id the second half of the trip would be.

Most Inspirational Moment

On the first day we had unseasonal cold weather with very heavy rain. We nevertheless walked up a mountain through an amazing oak rainforest. Much greener than I expected, it was magical and the rain somehow enhanced the excitement.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The leader, Michael Newcomb, was excellent. Very clear with information and adaptable to the circumstances as you would hope for. Always going the extra mile. Keen to be a positive part of the local community. Above all Mike was absolutely passionate about his interest in local wildlife, land management and food production, history etc and in sharing this with the group. And good company.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Come on this holiday.

Suggestions

I am totally satisfied with the hol. However I went to Aitana last year and that was a level 4. This holiday felt more like a level 3 in comparison.

Most Inspirational Moment

Wildlife spotting and watching life go by on the Aleppey backwaters.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Outstanding. Biju deserves to win your Leaders award. I have done multiple tours with various companies and he is hands down the best group leader I have ever had. Patient, warm, helpful and incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about his country. Normally the time spent on the bus between locations would be unwelcome but he made it something to look forward to as it was the perfect opportunity to learn more about the politics, religion and history of this amazing place.

Suggestions

It would have been nice to have a bit longer at the end of the trip in Kovalam so those of us who wanted to visit the tip of India could have also had some beach time.

Most Inspirational Moment

Crossing the bridge at the end of el Caminito del Rey (Chorro Gorge) and the Grazalema Natural Park

Thoughts on Group Leader

Whilst Mike was very knowledgeable, engaging and fun, the moment things were not going to plan his attitude changed quite quickly. Some group members picked up on this and it put them off approaching him for anything throughout the trip. Poor time management on one of the walks, led to the group being rushed which wasn't ideal after weeks of torrential rain and very slippery terrain.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Although we had pretty landscapes during the walks (olive groves, mountains) on some occasions it resembled the British countryside, so if you're looking for a trip with stunning scenery at every corner, this isn't it. Optional afternoon in Rhonda was fab, we recommend going! Having done several exodus trips before, whilst there were a couple of level 4 moments, the rest of the walks were more a level 3.

Suggestions

Heating / hot water stopped working a couple of times, we were told it's a recurring issue. Would be good if it was properly fixed for future groups. The staff were very accommodating... Filip drove us to the village for lunch on our first full day as there was heavy rain & some of us decided not to walk. He also helped me arrange drinks, nibbles and a fantastic birthday cake for my mothers birthday. We were also lucky to have such a lovely group!

Most Inspirational Moment

It was all inspiring and exciting for me.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Thanh Vo was excellent, full of energy and so enthusiastic about his own country; one of the best guides I have met. Thanh always shared information about where we were, what we were passing or what we were looking at as well as ensuring we were well prepared for the next day along with constant reminders throughout the day. He took personal care to ensure that us few pescatarians and vegetarians did not accidentally end up with with 'wrong' food and selected a good variety of restaurants for group meals. He gave us space to do our own things at the different sites and accommodations but was always in the background when needed or to help us from getting lost! This trip took a lot of organisation - scheduling of optional tours, buses, boat, bikes and trains etc - which he did behind the scenes and everything worked like clockwork. All this along with Thanh's great sense of humour made for a really relaxed and enjoyable trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The optional bike tour of Hoi An was great fun (and the bike seats were wide!); it was more than a bike tour. I brought my own gel cycle seat for the Day 11 & 12 which helped with the narrow seats on the mountain bikes. Try the iced coffee and passion fruit juice - both delicious. All the accommodation (homestay, boat & hotels) provided good and warm bedding (we were in the north in March and it was chilly) and towels. However, I still found my sheet sleeping bag useful for the homestay visits.

Most Inspirational Moment

too many to list... I really loved the peaceful atmosphere at the Buduruwagala temple, and the slower cycling on the backroads along small rivers, rice fields and tea plantations.

Thoughts on Group Leader

the team was great and super friendly. I always felt safe and the support during the cycling was excellent. Most remarkable was the group lead Suresh. He has great knowledge, a smile for everyone and exceptional organizational skills. He would always go the extra mile to show us something special on the way, where to find beautiful handmade souvenirs, offering an additional walk in the afternoon or get us to places with great food or drinks.

Advice for Potential Travellers

its hot and humid, therefore cycling on tarmac can get challenging. arriving a few days earlier is a good idea to adjust to time zone and climate.

Suggestions

I highly recommend this trip for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the beauty and culture of Sri Lanka