Most Inspirational Moment
The highlights of the holiday were sea kayaking and swimming in Ha Long Bay; snorkelling off Nha Trang and visiting the orphanage there; climbing the 150 steps up the Marble Mountain and seeing the caves used as a hospital by the Vietcong during the American Vietnam War in the 1960’s; cycling to the beach at Cua Dai; shopping in Hoi An; riding on the reunification express and culminating in the Mekong Delta homestay where our hosts made us very welcome.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Although the travelling group of 15 people ranged in age from 24 to 65 we very quickly bonded, and a good time was had by all, thanks to Tom our marvellous guide who gave us just enough information to make everything interesting and created opportunities for excitement and fun too. The evening on board the boat in Ha Long Bay was a great ice breaker.
Advice for Potential Travellers
When we told our friends and family we were going to Vietnam the general response was “What do you want to go there for?” We had heard that Vietnam has beautiful scenery, that it is not yet very commercialised, the food is enjoyable, and that there is some interesting history and culture. We found plenty of history and culture and delicious food, but also enjoyed the shopping, the variety of activities provided and the friendliness of the Vietnamese people. They are very poor, but seem very happy. The traffic is insane – imagine China’s bicycles replaced by mopeds! Red traffic lights are there to be ignored and the mopeds use the pavements as much as the roads... Building is going on everywhere and the country is just beginning to become more commercialised.