NeoPatrick's OAT Inside Vietnam Adventure
Sep 28th, 2010, 07:26 AM
#41
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Patrick...
Really enjoying your report. I'm heading to Vietnam in March with a small group of 12. A friend who puts small group tours together is doing this and our itinerary for Vietnam is very similar to yours. I'm especially liking all the restuarant/dining information you've given.
Enjoy the rest of the tour...looking forward to reading more!
Really enjoying your report. I'm heading to Vietnam in March with a small group of 12. A friend who puts small group tours together is doing this and our itinerary for Vietnam is very similar to yours. I'm especially liking all the restuarant/dining information you've given.
Enjoy the rest of the tour...looking forward to reading more!
Sep 29th, 2010, 04:45 AM
#46
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I am really enjoying your report. What a shame that you did not get to see the Tombs at Hue, but your time in the orphanage sounded wonderful. Wish I could convince my husband to consider tours. I've heard from others that OAT tours are wonderful. Waiting for more.
Sep 29th, 2010, 05:29 AM
#47
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dgunbug-In looking at the OAT itinerary, I noticed that they did not go to the tombs which I really would like to see. How many hours, door to door, did it take you to see the Emperors tombs? Patrick-I am wondering if I have enough time to squeeze it into 2 or 3 hours of free time in the afternoon between lunch and the trip to the orphanage..
Sep 29th, 2010, 04:50 PM
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We did 3 tombs and the Pagoda as a full morning tour. I believe the Pagoda was already part of the package tour, so if you hire a taxi you can do at least one or two of the Emperor's tombs in a few hours.
Sep 29th, 2010, 08:13 PM
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Focus on the tombs of Minh Mang and Tu Doc. Two or three hours should be enough. The Tomb of Khai Dinh can be safely skipped--it was built in the 1920s and is of little artistic or historical interest.
Sep 30th, 2010, 03:06 AM
#51
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NHA TRANG:
We flew from DaNang Airport -- the old military airfield where they are building a major new terminal to handle the new resort traffic. We arrived at the new Nha Trang airport which is quite a way out of town, and the bus transported us into the center to our hotel -- Angella, which is a nice smallish (but 8 story) hotel that is run by the government and whose main business is weddings. There are three huge beautiful reception halls each opening to the outside. On Tuesday evening there were three weddings going on -- one in each, and on Wednesday evening there were 2. The hotel is a block from the beach and although nearly all of us had rooms facing the sea, a huge new hotel is being built almost next door blocking that view.
We pulled into the hotel just long enough for them to unload our bags so they will be in our room when we get back, then we went to a tiny rural village a few miles out called Xom Gio for what OAT calls "A Day in the Life". We walked a small dirt path, the only "road" to many of the houses and we met with the village "chief" a volunteer but elected position who is the "go between" for the village and the government powers who control everything. He and his wife welcomed us into their very humble home and showed us around. We were having lunch there, and the wife asked for help in the kitchen. I stir fried the bok choy with garlic in a wok on the 2 burner gas stove. The kitchen was about 110 degrees! They set a couple of tables out in the front yard with chairs, and a delicious lunch was served out there, followed by green tea. The man and his wife then joined us for conversation with our guide as interpreter. Fascinating people -- he was a soldier for the south, and it is indeed unusual for him to now have any position of power. They have three married children all living near by and one unmarried son still living at home.
Afterwards we walked to a nearby house where the whole family's occupation is basketweaving. We sat with them on their big front cement floor "porch" (most homes have these big open but covered areas where all kinds of activity take place. The family of 5 did everything from split the bamboo to make the "strands", trim them down, weave them making circles, put a ring top on them and shape them, and trim them off with a sort of machete. We took turns helping to weave.
Next we visited another family which makes simple chopsticks from bamboo -- again the bamboo literally grows at their doorstep. Only women were doing this -- splitting bamboo into square sticks, another woman scraping the ends into rounds, and other woman trimming them all up. We also briefly visited another family which Grand Circle helped to support. There were three houses in this village which were really in horrible shape, and money was given to rebuild them in brick and cement and finish. We saw before and after pictures. The families are very grateful -- one of these families also weaves baskets for a living. One woman is a widow with a number of children.
After our visit to the village we returned to our hotel for a brief rest and shower and then we met and were taken to dinner at Gia, a lovely garden restaurant in NaTrang -- really good Vietnamese food.
The next morning we were bused to the harbor and boarded a small boat to go to Mieu Island and visit the fishing village. Lee pointed out lots of things regarding small businesses, school life, and the life of fishing families. We then boarded the boat again and toured the many fish holding tanks -- actually just netted pools within the bay where they put various fish which have been caught until prices raise in their favor. Several of our group opted to pay women to row them around in those 5 foot round baskets.
After this we headed the opposite side of the island which is a lovely beach. There is a sort of "private" resort without hotel there -- where we had a row of padded chaise lounges under the palm trees. There is a nice bar and a restaurant, water sports for rent, and you could even get manicures, pedicures, or massages right there. We had four hours there. I had the first pedicure of my life. The woman was doing the girl next to me and kept looking at my nasty feet and keep saying, "I can fix those" -- so she did -- for just $5. Lunch was on our own -- I opted for a wonderful plate of grilled squid with cucumbers and tomatoes and some wonderful spicy chili dipping sauce, as well as a mojito. I am NOT a beach person, but this four hours of pampering and relaxation really hit the spot. But a half hour before we were to leave, everyone started running -- they had seen the wind and the waves change and knew the rain was coming. And indeed it did -- a deluge for about 20 minutes -- we all ran for shelter. Then it slacked off and we took the boat and then the bus back to the hotel. We had all the rest of the afternoon and evening free. Some went to the Sailing Club (not a club) right on the beach for dinner. I ended up bar hopping with my new best friend, Johnny (Walker, that is). And although I was convinced I was going to find a great little hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese place for dinner, I ended up a place called The Grill Room with a big Argentine steak following a wonderful warm potato with grilled squid salad. I ended up with a final meeting with Johnny at the bar right on the beach at the Sailing Club, and walked the "promenade" all the way back along the beach to the hotel.
I originally wasn't terribly interested in Nha Trang as it just sounded like a commercial beach resort -- and I guess mainly it is, but our Day in the Life experience was wonderful, as were the walks in the fishing village and the relaxation at the beach. I'm sure in another 10 years no one will recognize this town. There are huge hotels and resorts being built everywhere there and many diving shops are expanding their businesses. Economy is great in Nha Trang.
We flew from DaNang Airport -- the old military airfield where they are building a major new terminal to handle the new resort traffic. We arrived at the new Nha Trang airport which is quite a way out of town, and the bus transported us into the center to our hotel -- Angella, which is a nice smallish (but 8 story) hotel that is run by the government and whose main business is weddings. There are three huge beautiful reception halls each opening to the outside. On Tuesday evening there were three weddings going on -- one in each, and on Wednesday evening there were 2. The hotel is a block from the beach and although nearly all of us had rooms facing the sea, a huge new hotel is being built almost next door blocking that view.
We pulled into the hotel just long enough for them to unload our bags so they will be in our room when we get back, then we went to a tiny rural village a few miles out called Xom Gio for what OAT calls "A Day in the Life". We walked a small dirt path, the only "road" to many of the houses and we met with the village "chief" a volunteer but elected position who is the "go between" for the village and the government powers who control everything. He and his wife welcomed us into their very humble home and showed us around. We were having lunch there, and the wife asked for help in the kitchen. I stir fried the bok choy with garlic in a wok on the 2 burner gas stove. The kitchen was about 110 degrees! They set a couple of tables out in the front yard with chairs, and a delicious lunch was served out there, followed by green tea. The man and his wife then joined us for conversation with our guide as interpreter. Fascinating people -- he was a soldier for the south, and it is indeed unusual for him to now have any position of power. They have three married children all living near by and one unmarried son still living at home.
Afterwards we walked to a nearby house where the whole family's occupation is basketweaving. We sat with them on their big front cement floor "porch" (most homes have these big open but covered areas where all kinds of activity take place. The family of 5 did everything from split the bamboo to make the "strands", trim them down, weave them making circles, put a ring top on them and shape them, and trim them off with a sort of machete. We took turns helping to weave.
Next we visited another family which makes simple chopsticks from bamboo -- again the bamboo literally grows at their doorstep. Only women were doing this -- splitting bamboo into square sticks, another woman scraping the ends into rounds, and other woman trimming them all up. We also briefly visited another family which Grand Circle helped to support. There were three houses in this village which were really in horrible shape, and money was given to rebuild them in brick and cement and finish. We saw before and after pictures. The families are very grateful -- one of these families also weaves baskets for a living. One woman is a widow with a number of children.
After our visit to the village we returned to our hotel for a brief rest and shower and then we met and were taken to dinner at Gia, a lovely garden restaurant in NaTrang -- really good Vietnamese food.
The next morning we were bused to the harbor and boarded a small boat to go to Mieu Island and visit the fishing village. Lee pointed out lots of things regarding small businesses, school life, and the life of fishing families. We then boarded the boat again and toured the many fish holding tanks -- actually just netted pools within the bay where they put various fish which have been caught until prices raise in their favor. Several of our group opted to pay women to row them around in those 5 foot round baskets.
After this we headed the opposite side of the island which is a lovely beach. There is a sort of "private" resort without hotel there -- where we had a row of padded chaise lounges under the palm trees. There is a nice bar and a restaurant, water sports for rent, and you could even get manicures, pedicures, or massages right there. We had four hours there. I had the first pedicure of my life. The woman was doing the girl next to me and kept looking at my nasty feet and keep saying, "I can fix those" -- so she did -- for just $5. Lunch was on our own -- I opted for a wonderful plate of grilled squid with cucumbers and tomatoes and some wonderful spicy chili dipping sauce, as well as a mojito. I am NOT a beach person, but this four hours of pampering and relaxation really hit the spot. But a half hour before we were to leave, everyone started running -- they had seen the wind and the waves change and knew the rain was coming. And indeed it did -- a deluge for about 20 minutes -- we all ran for shelter. Then it slacked off and we took the boat and then the bus back to the hotel. We had all the rest of the afternoon and evening free. Some went to the Sailing Club (not a club) right on the beach for dinner. I ended up bar hopping with my new best friend, Johnny (Walker, that is). And although I was convinced I was going to find a great little hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese place for dinner, I ended up a place called The Grill Room with a big Argentine steak following a wonderful warm potato with grilled squid salad. I ended up with a final meeting with Johnny at the bar right on the beach at the Sailing Club, and walked the "promenade" all the way back along the beach to the hotel.
I originally wasn't terribly interested in Nha Trang as it just sounded like a commercial beach resort -- and I guess mainly it is, but our Day in the Life experience was wonderful, as were the walks in the fishing village and the relaxation at the beach. I'm sure in another 10 years no one will recognize this town. There are huge hotels and resorts being built everywhere there and many diving shops are expanding their businesses. Economy is great in Nha Trang.
Sep 30th, 2010, 06:15 AM
#54
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Patrick,
My mother-in-law (late 70's) and her husband (early 80's) are taking my 13 yr old nephew with them on this tour in late December. I just sent an e-mail to them with a link to your report. They are looking forward to the trip but once they read this, they will really be excited about going. Thanks for posting.
My mother-in-law (late 70's) and her husband (early 80's) are taking my 13 yr old nephew with them on this tour in late December. I just sent an e-mail to them with a link to your report. They are looking forward to the trip but once they read this, they will really be excited about going. Thanks for posting.
Sep 30th, 2010, 11:57 AM
#56
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I've been enjoying reading this in-progress trip report, and even began to look up dates and flight information for March 2011. Then, when I was almost sold on it, I came across this review of the Vietnam OAT on Tripadvisor: http://tinyurl.com/27gfqq5 The writer is a second-time OAT user, has some nice things to say about them, but issues some caveats too.
Briefly, he says OAT is OK for what it does, but the meals are mediocre and tedious and taken in groups (vegetable soup twice daily); the shops you're taken to are overpriced; the optional add-on tours are expensive; and, you're on a kind of "tour bus circuit" with others along the same routes and to the same sites as the OAT group.
I was also wondering if the bargain Neopatrick achieves as a single traveller would be diminished for two people? I.e., a couple can pool their $276 daily costs and get more for less, esp in the hotel.
Briefly, he says OAT is OK for what it does, but the meals are mediocre and tedious and taken in groups (vegetable soup twice daily); the shops you're taken to are overpriced; the optional add-on tours are expensive; and, you're on a kind of "tour bus circuit" with others along the same routes and to the same sites as the OAT group.
I was also wondering if the bargain Neopatrick achieves as a single traveller would be diminished for two people? I.e., a couple can pool their $276 daily costs and get more for less, esp in the hotel.
Sep 30th, 2010, 12:47 PM
#57
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I just read the Trip Advisor review and it certainly does not sound like Patrick's experience, especially the comments conserning the boring, mediocre food. The TA review was written in April, so maybe OAT has changed restaurants. As for the comments on the optional tours, people are free to take them or leave them, and do there own thing during free days. As far as saving money, I do not think the OAT tour is any less expensive than 2 people travelling independently. But the tour seems to do things that would be difficult for independent travellers to organize on their own, such as home hosted meals, and school visits.
Sep 30th, 2010, 01:01 PM
#58
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i too poo poo the TA report....the guy obviously had an ax to grind...
he is simply not a tour guy...just like me and that is why i don't do tours... if you want total flexibility then you do not do tours...period!! just imagine the food issue...ok, everyone can order from the menu...i start with and end with champagne, and in between i always have the filet.. i nver eat rice, that is for asians... i want the double chocolate cake with conac sauce for breakfast....just see the chaos and the expense...
why can't we go over there and see that lighthouse? no problem, how do we get a boat on the spur of the moment and take 10 people out there??
get my jist?
i think patrick's trip is accurate and fun...i even looked up the trip for the price....i can tell you that we are doing is for far less money than he and in just as good if not better hotels...
he is simply not a tour guy...just like me and that is why i don't do tours... if you want total flexibility then you do not do tours...period!! just imagine the food issue...ok, everyone can order from the menu...i start with and end with champagne, and in between i always have the filet.. i nver eat rice, that is for asians... i want the double chocolate cake with conac sauce for breakfast....just see the chaos and the expense...
why can't we go over there and see that lighthouse? no problem, how do we get a boat on the spur of the moment and take 10 people out there??
get my jist?
i think patrick's trip is accurate and fun...i even looked up the trip for the price....i can tell you that we are doing is for far less money than he and in just as good if not better hotels...
Sep 30th, 2010, 01:24 PM
#59
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One of the reasons I like tours is because of the structure. If wake up call is 6:30 or 7:00, then I know my DH and I will have a full day or sightseeing, which is why I am taking the tour. One of us, who shall remain nameless, can't sleep late and leave the hotel at 11:30am unless he wants to get left behind at the hotel. So structure works fine for me, eliminating any discussion on what time to wake up or what to do for the day. I never take optional tours, preferring to hire a car and driver or use public transportation to see what I want during free time. This is where I work in the flexible part of the sightseeing.
Sep 30th, 2010, 01:33 PM
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Yes, I agree that the OAT tour that Patrick is on does sound good for a tour. For a solo traveler, it is a great way to perhaps have "built in" friends. But it doesn't really sound like Patrick has found that on his tour as he does mention going solo for drinks and dinner rather than with any friends.
The Nha Trang day by OAT described here is offered by numerous agents in Nha Trang, some very similar to what Patrick did, some including many more crafty kinds of stops, most including lunch in a home environment. There are many options for similar days for private or join in tours. It does, in fact, seem as though that what OAT offers is pretty standard tour fare for the area.
While I have not priced out the Vietnam tour, in the past I did price out an OAT Thailand tour and found that for the money, I could get better hotels in better locations, include some private tours to cover the sightseeing, private car or air transport, and not pay any more than the OAT price even with a generous amount of money included in the calculations for meals and miscellaneous expenses. Plus, so whatever I wanted rather than what the tour had scheduled. I'd guess Vietnam would be similar.
I'd say that if you are sure the tour is right for you and are accepting of the limitations and the price is agreeable, then do it. But if not, know that you can do it on your own with a bit of effort and research.
The Nha Trang day by OAT described here is offered by numerous agents in Nha Trang, some very similar to what Patrick did, some including many more crafty kinds of stops, most including lunch in a home environment. There are many options for similar days for private or join in tours. It does, in fact, seem as though that what OAT offers is pretty standard tour fare for the area.
While I have not priced out the Vietnam tour, in the past I did price out an OAT Thailand tour and found that for the money, I could get better hotels in better locations, include some private tours to cover the sightseeing, private car or air transport, and not pay any more than the OAT price even with a generous amount of money included in the calculations for meals and miscellaneous expenses. Plus, so whatever I wanted rather than what the tour had scheduled. I'd guess Vietnam would be similar.
I'd say that if you are sure the tour is right for you and are accepting of the limitations and the price is agreeable, then do it. But if not, know that you can do it on your own with a bit of effort and research.
