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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310 Reviews

4.8 out of 5

Xiaolin Wu

Reviewed September 2023

Two weeks of cycling, food and sweat

We had great time with the group for this two-week holiday. We were spoiled by the team who were looking after us. It’s not just the cycling your, but food, culture and team. Finally, I managed to put some photos and video together. Hope you enjoy it: https://youtu.be/98upKDJQQN4

Erica Kendall

Reviewed May 2023

Fabulous trip

We had a wonderful packed fortnight cycling Vietnam, so much to see and do and so many thoughtful extras and variety. I only do town cycling at home, don’t have very strong legs, so didn’t do every bit of cycling, esp the long ascents and descents and didn’t find m electric bike as powerful as I’d hoped but managed fine. We were looked after superbly by the team of 4 and it was brilliant to be greeted at every stop by chilled lime juice and snack. Very nice group and brilliant leader.

Most Inspirational Moment

Many highlights. We all loved Hoi Ann and Hal Long Bay was magical, and fantastic food, all very varied. V comfy hotels. I had some lovely clothes made in Hoi Ann - silk pyjamas, copied from some I had with me.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader, Linh Vo was absolutely brilliant. Tirelessly looking after us at every point, brilliant at organising, and always thinking of special things we would like to see and do. He is such a bubbly personality, endlessly entertaining, and his infectious enthusiasm really helped the group to bond. Absolutely first-rate. We knew we were in good hands.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure your breakfast eggs are thoroughly cooked! And you might like to add an extra day or two to explore Hanoi more, I wish I'd done that.

Deborah Tyler

Reviewed May 2023

Outstanding trip!

This was our 4th Exodus trip, and second Cycling Vietnam trip (first one was in 2009). It was a chance to revisit fabulous Vietnam, as well as paying tribute to a recently deceased relative who was born in Saigon. It was an amazing couple of weeks with a great group of people.

Most Inspirational Moment

Learning more about Buddhism was inspirational for me. Finding out how several generations of families live in one house, supporting and caring for eachother is truly heart warming. Family is everything to Vietnamese people. Our leader Linh Vo fascinated us with personal stories of his life as a child and the struggles within his family when the country was at war.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Linh was the best trip leader ever! He was supported by a very efficient crew, and they looked after us so well. Linh is funny, warm, friendly and knowledgeable. When 2 members of our group were ill, he ensured they had the correct medication and food/drink to aid their recovery. Linh was never off duty. He made sure all the group's dietary needs and allergies were catered for at every establishment. Nothing was too much trouble for him - from finding ATM's, phone shops, jewellers, whatever we needed. He is totally committed to the members of his group, and is a fine ambassador for Exodus. Anyone lucky enough to have Linh as their leader has struck gold! The icing on the cake was his fantastic stories, songs and guitar playing. Talking of cakes, Linh even organised a special dinner for my birthday on the trip, complete with personalised cake and candles!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take lots of chamois cream and padded shorts. Pack light, mix and match clothes (laundry can be done in Hoi An) Use a manageable case/bag, as you are on the move most days & big cases are not best for the overnight train Don't be afraid to order an e-bike. I found it a blessing as I'm waiting for a knee replacement and it helped me comfortably complete all rides (totalling almost 500K)

Mark Evans

Reviewed April 2023

Great Experience - the best!

Best experience to date out of many Exodus cycling trips that i have been on. This due to the excellent trip leader and support crew, great group of compatriots, culture in Vietnam and variety of experiences in the itinerary. The trip is excellent value for money and should be on any bucket list

Most Inspirational Moment

The daily routine of early start, healthy food and cycling, walking tours etc has inspired me to be more active at home. The kind, humble and friendly nature of the nation - from small children desperate to say hello to elders at the home meal, everyone was a inspiration to meet - our population at large could learn a lot from them and be better people for it.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Linh Vo was the best tour leader i have experienced to date on many Exodus cycling holidays. He was completely dedicated to the whole group 24/7 and went out of his way to resolve any problems that anyone had. He has excellent knowledge and gives a great insight into the history and culture of the country. Any future travellers lucky enough to have him on their trip will enjoy the sometimes long coach journeys with his story telling and passion to make you laugh!

Advice for Potential Travellers

The better your cycling fitness is before you travel the more you will get from the trip. Be prepared for heat and humidity - take on the regular fluids and snacks provided. Travel light as great value clothes wash available at Hoi An. Also, leave space in your travel bag if you want tailor made clothes, shoes made for you in Hoi An.

Pam R

Reviewed April 2023

Fabulous, fast paced trip

Excellent trip, very fast paced as previous comments, this is definitely a cycling trip but very enjoyable. Whale Island was amazing and enjoyed 2 nights stay so could relax. Hotels were excellent, train journey was good. Food was amazing, Loc our your leader was excellent, always making sure we were all ok and enjoying the experience. Took us to great restaurants, advising the best food to try etc. Our group was split between people with Ebikes and regular bikes, which on the hills was an issue, the regular bikes were not able to keep up and created a gap in the group. If you want a challenge ride a regular bike, if you want to have easier rides order an ebike.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cycling through the villages was amazing, children running to wave and shout etc, Learning about the culture, history was very interesting

Thoughts on Group Leader

Loc was excellent, very helpful and interesting

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check if the majority are ebikes or regular bikes, depending on your fitness, the cycling is definitely doable on a regular bike, I enjoyed the challenge Do not overpack, you can wash cycling kit every night, shower gel/shampoo and conditioner etc in every hotel Snacks are provided every hour or so on the bike and are amazing so unless you want something specific you do not need to take any bars etc You are moving hotels nearly every night so the less you can take the easier it is

Liz H

Reviewed April 2023

An amazing country, guide and group - book now!

As most reviews say, this is a full on trip with early starts and long days – but it’s 1000% worth it. From the manic cities of HCM and Hanoi via the enchanting Hoi An, taking in spectacular mountain and sea views; paddy fields with water buffalo having a cooling dip; and the occasional just wtf weird, you feel you’ve scratched the surface of this unique country. The food was a real highlight, non meat eaters well catered for – aided by Linh letting places know how many fish / veggie options we needed.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader, Linh, worked tirelessly to ensure the group experienced the best of the places we visited, organising some memorable lunch and dinners for the group. The lunches especially felt as though we were participating in real Vietnam and contributing to local families. Linh helped pass time on the bus telling us about the history and culture of his country and how ordinary people live. His stories of his family's history, the war and his childhood were fascinating. Extra points for telling us how to find the 'western' toilets on the overnight train.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I'd recommend arriving in Ho Chi Min city at least a day earlier than the tour start, there's so much to see, do and explore. Take some electrolyte tablets to add to water bottle when cycling. Energy bars / gels not needed though as excellent and plentiful enroute snacks provided by the 'snack kitty'. The only real opportunity for getting laundry done is in Hoi An, not a problem, just be aware and pack and wear clothes accordingly.

Claire Holloway

Reviewed April 2023

The very best of Vietnam - and a Cambodia bonus

This was a brilliant trip – but “fast-paced” doesn’t even begin to describe it! Our overnight flight landed in Siem Reap at 9.30am and we were off! River cruise to see the floating fishing communities, sunset at the magnificent Angkor Wat temple, a traditional dance evening, then up at 4.30am for sunrise at Angkor Wat, three more temples, a community restaurant – then a flight to Phnom Penh to the royal palace and the chilling Killing Fields. Another flight and we landed in the madness of Ho Chi Min for the start 14 days of the most wonderful, varied and exhausting trips we have been on. You could not have a better introduction to the culture, history, geography, food and people of these two fascinating and complex countries.

Most Inspirational Moment

It is difficult to pinpoint a single most inspirational moment. Maybe sunrise over Angkor Wat, or the Ta Prohm temple slowly being reclaimed by the jungle. Or cycling through DaLat to the flower market in the early morning and realising that the hundreds of scooters really will avoid you as you ride round the roundabout. Or cycling the backroads through shrimp beds and paddy fields and finding a herd of water buffalo cooling in the water. Or Hoi An at night and all the beautiful lanterns along the river. Or sitting down for a simple but wonderful evening meal with a local family in Hue and learning more about their lives. Every part of this tour was inspirational in its own way - but the real inspiration came from the passion and huge local knowledge of our tour leader Linh and the brilliant support team.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Linh Vo was a star. Unbelievably hard working with a mission to ensure that we experienced as much of Vietnamese culture, history, food, people and places as was possible in a two week trip. His wealth of stories brought to life the reality of life for ordinary families both now and during Vietnam's war years and helped pass the many hours in the bus. We were an oversized group of 17 but no one missed any of the evening group meals, which introduced us to every kind of Vietnamese food possible. And as for the singing... Cycle-Linh you will be remembered! I'd just also like to mention our lovely Siem Reap tour guide, Raus, who looked after us so well and gave us the best possible introduction to life in Cambodia.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is a full-on trip so just go with the flow. Be prepared for quick turnarounds and have an overnight bag at the ready for the Whale Island and overnight train trips. The hotels are great but there is little time to enjoy them unless you miss out on part of the richness of the tour.

Richard Buss

Reviewed April 2023

Brilliant holiday

Just returned from cycling Vietnam, what an excellent holiday we had. The group of 17 was expertly led by Linh Vo and a three person support team. The mountain bikes were in great condition and maintained each evening by the Mechanic ready for each day’s ride. The routes were generally flat and provided a great insight into life in Vietnam taking in all of the popular sights. The south of Vietnam is tropical and the weather was hot, so much so that the screen on my Garmin was burned by the sun when I left it outside for an hour, lesson learned. Linh planned the routes so that regular breaks for hydration were factored in which was appreciated by all. The driver waited ahead at each stop with chilled lime juice (really refreshing) and plenty of snacks, ensuring that everyone was adequately hydrated and fuelled. During the rides there was always a lead rider, typically Linh at the front and a guide at the rear of the group keeping an eye on the riders at the back. The hotels were good and food plentiful and varied with a couple of non-cycling days when we took in some snorkelling and kayaking. Special mention must go to our superb Tour Leader Linh who was simply amazing! He was always available and never ceased to ensure that everyone was looked after and restaurants and hotels were organised, even pitching in to serve food at stops. Early in the tour, my elderly mobile phone charging port failed leaving me without all the things we rely on them for. Linh organised for a replacement part to be sourced and a local repair which involved a good deal of additional work for him and was hugely appreciated. His enthusiasm for his country’s history is infectious and the information he provided covering everywhere we visited was really engaging. I loved hearing about Linh’s early days in a Buddhist Pergoda, his Father’s experiences during the Vietnam war, religion and daily life in Vietnam, even about his family who are charming. We cycled, laughed and sang our way around Vietnam, it was brilliant.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I have travelled with Exodus many times, Linh is without doubt the best Tour Leader I have experienced.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take plenty of high factor sun screen, maybe some light sleeves for additional protection.

Sue Clarke

Reviewed March 2023

A Comprehensive Tour of Vietnam

Fast paced and long days in the saddle meant we covered a lot of ground – 480km of this lovely country. Due to snow at home in February, I couldn’t get out on the roads so I got fitter during the rides and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. 6 out of 18 had e-bikes which meant that we kept together pretty well. Lam and his 3 staff took good care of us and we felt safe even in the crazy traffic in the cities. I felt we could have eaten at some better restaurants, especially on the first, second and third nights where the options tasted quite bland and there was little availability on the menus. There were some far better options found via google reviews and the meal in Mui Ne was particularly poor. With greater attention to the evening meals, the trip would be excellent. I loved the variety of sights and Whale Island and Hoi An were highlights for me.

Most Inspirational Moment

Completing the long days of up to 100km and managing to appreciate the views all around us through hamlets, villages and coastal views.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. Lam was a great leader and kept us all motivated and refuelled throughout. We were lucky with no wet weather so easier to keep safe on the downhills and see the potholes easier. Lam went above and beyond to make gin and tonics for us on the overnight train - carrying bottles, a tray of tonics and a cool box of ice and limes on top of his own luggage. That was very much appreciated! He also gave us each an annotated map of Vietnam tracking our route by bike and by transfers so we can see our exact route. That’s a 5* effort.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Try to get some training in beforehand as you will get more out of the trip. It’s certainly not for beginner cyclists.

Heather Parry

Reviewed March 2023

Fast Paced Adventure

To repeat other reviews – action packed trip – more emphasis on cycling and not on sight-seeing like some other Exodus tours on offer. The distances, pace and elevations are rated moderate, but to some they would be challenging. The pace was faster than we normally go when touring – although there were frequent stops. Excellent organization and leadership from Lam and his team who refreshed us at regular intervals and kept our bikes in good shape. Their support couldn’t have been better or more cheerful. Loved some of the quieter roads and villages but could have missed cycling through the city areas like Hue – unnecessarilly risky, in my view. High quality hotels all the way and some great meals. Not enough time to really see some overnight places like Da Lat. Overnight train trip an adventure but not for the faint of heart (toilets) or light sleepers. Great overnight boat experience in Halong Bay. We certainly saw the country from one end to the other.

Most Inspirational Moment

Beautiful scenery and the waving children along the way.

Thoughts on Group Leader

5 stars! Excellent group leader (Lam) who seemed to have every last detail sorted out way ahead of time from room allocation/ keys, to restaurants, to luggage, tipping, tickets etc. Also, he was extremely knowledgeable about the country. He helped all the slower members of our group along the way and encouraged everyone.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware of the cycling demands and the risks in a country with crazy traffic and roads (pot holes/ animals/ scooters). A few more people in our group might have enjoyed the tour more with an ebike. Expect long bus rides between cycling (up to 4 hours) so be prepared with something to read etc. Take toilet supplies especially for the train and rest stops - some with very basic facilities. (the bush was often the only option along the way). Some of our bike sizes were not what we expected. Make sure to let the company know not just your height but what size bike you generally ride to avoid this hassle.Easier to start with the right ize than have them adjusting along the way. There is no day pack or pannier with the bikes for even the smallest items. Bring something along. The bus is never too far away.

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