June Monrad

June Monrad - USA

We were very pleased with our 14-day tour of Vietnam put together by Ms. Thuy Pham of VietSense Travel. She worked with us via email to develop an itinerary that met our needs and maximized our time in the country. She always answered our emails within 24 hours. 
 

We started our visit in Hanoi where we took side excursions to Ninh Binh, Ky Son and Mai Chau. Our guide took us on bicycle rides and hikes through the countryside which really gave us a good feel for how the people lived and worked. The two-day, one-night cruise in Halong Bay was full of beautiful scenery. It’s relaxing on the boat but you will encounter lots of tourists when you get off the boat on visits to the islands. In Hanoi, we enjoyed a rickshaw ride through the old city – definitely something you should try

After Hanoi, we worked our way south by flying to Danang and visiting the towns of Hoian and Hue. Hoian is a beautiful little village especially at night when its lit up by colorful lanterns. If your time is limited, don’t miss Hoian. It’s worth a couple of nights. We spent the last part of our journey in the Saigon/ Mekong Delta area. Our guide recommended we visit the sites in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in the morning leaving the afternoon for a trip to Cu Chi Tunnels. This arrangement worked great because the tunnels are best visited when the site is not so busy. They’re very small and one can actually crawl through them (assuming you’re not a big person). Between the War Remnants Museum and the tunnels, we really saw how devastating the Vietnam War was to the people of the country. Finally, don’t miss a couple of days in the Mekong Delta region to see the floating markets and how people live along the rivers. 

Overall the trip went very smoothly. Our guides and drivers were always on time. They were very responsible, friendly, and always had our best interests in mind. They taught us a lot about the sites, its history and the people of Vietnam. We liked all of them, especially Star in Hanoi. They really made the trip for us! We highly recommend VietSense Travel if you plan to visit Vietnam