Most Inspirational Moment
There are so many inspirational moments. I particularly enjoyed the boat trip around Halong Bay. You won’t see such an amazing sight anywhere else. The contrast between Hanoi and Saigon, while not inspirational, is definitely an experience not to be missed. In both cities, the scooter is king of the road and the sheer number of them on the go at any time of the day or night is not to be missed. The Cu Chi Tunnels were extremely interesting and if you can manage it, definitely worth going down them.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader, Tu Vu was the best group leader I’ve ever had. Nothing was too much trouble for him. All he seemed to want was for us to have the most brilliant time ever and be safe at all times. He was a constant source of information telling us so much about Vietnam that you can’t get from a book. Tu also was very funny and we spent a number of evenings playing cards together having a great laugh. After 2 years of no tours, he seemed to just step straight back into the role as if there had been no break. He is also the youngest group leader I’ve ever had and had endless amounts of enthusiasm and energy. When monsoon rain caused flooding in Hue and Hoi An, our planned activities had to be cancelled. Tu very calmly made alternative arrangements with Exodus and kept us informed of these at all times. There was no sense of panic or not knowing what to do by him, just a very professional approach.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for constant traffic in both Hanoi and Saigon especially scooters. It’s an experience to be enjoyed not feared. Go with an open mind and you’ll have the most wonderful time. This is not a trip with a lot of difficult physical activity. If you can manage it, go to Cambodia as well but do check flight times as five days can be only three and a half days in reality.