Hi Guys

We're heading to Vietnam for 3 weeks in August this year. I have been toying with the idea of going as part of a tour ie Intrepid, Imaginative traveller or World expeditions. I realise it will be pricey but I wouldnt mind go ing through VN with a guide who can give us more insight into history and not having to think or worry about where to sleep or eat in VN.

Has anyone done any of these tours before and is there one you would recommend?

Thanks for all you help

Eek

you don't say where you are based, I live in the UK and have used two UK based operators, Silk Steps and Audley Travel, both of whom are very good. However, check out who they outsource to locally as we did have a few problems with one locally based operator. You could deal direct with locally based operators but would lack consumer protection if it all goes wrong you would howvever cut out the middleman which should reduce the price. The one problem I have found with any tour company in asia is that they tend to use the same hotels again and again without checking out the newer operations or smaller establishment. A good guide is worth it if you do not know the area well, dont speak the language and have limited time

I dont know much about the operators in VN much. I came to VN last December.
and used Vina Sunrise Travel by chance via a Vietnamese friend. Because I didn't have a clue about Vietnam so I booked a tour guide. Firstly I didn't trust him much because he looked unexperienced though his English is quite good. But I was wrong, he was so helpful and very good at history of our destinations (hanoi, Hue, Nhatragn,saigon). Now we are friends and we often contact with each other via email. His name is Hahn. You can email him at: [email protected]. I think he is still working for that operator.

This is the address of a couple who live in Olympia, Washington that planned a wonderful first trip to Vietnam.
Address is [email protected]
I have been back 2 times on my own,but for a first trip you learn so much more when you have a guide,but yet have time to explore on your own.

I've traveled with Intrepid although not in Vietnam, which is quite easy to do yourself. I wouldn't call them pricey - they use local transport and stay in budget hotels. Depending on who you get as a tour leader she/he may or may not act as a guide. For more info on my trips with them see my website www.wilhelmswords.com.

We used Travel Indochina (www.travelindochina.com) a very experienced Australian company which I think has offices in the US. Although we could have toured the country by ourselves, and generally prefer independent travel, we couldn't have experienced as much in 20 days as we did on the tour. For a group of 11 we had at all times an Australian tour leader, excellent local guides (one HCMC-based, one Hanoi-based) and driver. To me, one of the big pluses was the ability to chat to our guides at length about Vietnam's history and culture and learn a few words of the language. There was adequate free time to explore the cities on our own. Depending on tour schedules you can join in Hanoi and head south, or vice versa. If I were doing it again I'd take more opportunity to seek out authentic cuisine (tour companies tend to patronise "safer", more tourtist-friendly restaurants) but otherwise we had no complaints and thought the trip was good value for money.

A note to add. The people I referred you to in the states books through Indochina tours. You do learn so much more when you have a guide just for you and a driver. It makes such a difference for a first time visit. It helps you make friends with the Vietnamese and a better understanding of the culture. One of my fondest memories is being invited to lunch at my guide's Mother's home way down in the Mekong Delta. Also him taking us by boat in the Mekong to a Vietnamese man who served with the American army during the war. Such hospitable people.

I looked at Intrepid, Gecko and Imaginative Traveller re Indo China....and have now decided to do it solo.

I am also going for 3 weeks. I leave for Vietnam on March 23.... I am also going to Cambodia. My time is limited.

But I was so enthused by the people in this forum about how easy it is to do Indo China solo, that I thought I might as well try it.

It is much less expensive, I agree.

My email is [email protected] if you want to contact me.

Thank you soo much for all your responses.

I am based in Australia and we have traveled solo throughout SE Asia before, its just we have always thought that a organised tour would be more time economical and would give us more information on history etc.

Thank you again for all your advice. I'll let you know what info I dig up.

Cheers

Eek

Sorry, Eek - I assumed you were American. This makes it easier - Australia's longer history of diplomatic and commercial ties with postwar Vietnam (compared to the US) generally confer an advantage on Australian tour companies.

You could also check out Wendy Wu Tours - both they and Travel Indochina are more upmarket (well, as upmarket as you can reasonably be in Viet Nam), but there are also companies that provide more down-to-earth tours that I'm sure would be fine, and which I'd probably prefer if I were younger. Your fellow travellers would probably be more interesting too. Have a great trip.

Hi,

Am told that Tour operators in Vietnam vary in prices drastically and you will find everyone in the same tour paying differently and even up to 50%. Guessed prices in Vietnam are still cheap so some can overcharge easily.
You will soon find some people with post promoting Handspan soon. They charge up to 3 times more than the others for the same tour.
Avoid them, don't encourage unscrupulous business.
Some will say, "You get what you for".
Hunt around, compare and evaluate yourself.

Hi..we have used Imaginative Traveller 3 times now (not to Vietnam)and have found them very good if you want an organized tour...All 3 times we had great tour reps and had tons of free time and actually we really enjoyed meeting people on the tours and are still are friends with alot of them..

So it just depends what you want..We usually take a short tour and then go on our own..but i can highly recommend Imaginative Traveller and will use them again...

Keep in mind that these are small tour groups usually 12 - 15 people only...

Anyways..we may use them again to Vietnam next year as well, we will see..

Simpletravelling: You obviously work for a rival tour operator, judging by your constant complaining about Handspan.

Handspan is more expensive. But when one may have travelled halfway around the world to experience Vietnam, it is better to go with an organisation with a strong reputation for excellence than to risk a once-in-a-lifetime experience on an el cheapo operator and be disappointed.