Inside Vietnam (2012)

This was my first trip with OAT in April 2012.
It was so far beyond my expectations, especially with our guide Vu . He's amazing. I'm not usually willing to try new foods. I never eat fish at home. I ate everything! The fish was sooo good. I ate snake jerky and a hard boiled 3 wk old duck egg. I drew the line at shrimp. Vu found out and at every single restaurant and even home hosted meal he managed to get me a different dish if that was served. I was so surprised. We had a traveler that ended up with a tooth problem and he was extremely helpful to her. He was funny, paid attention to all the people in our group and was so knowledgeable about Vietnam. The itinerary was great. Busy, yet time to explore on your own. I feel like it was the trip of a lifetime! My only reservation is that I don't know how OAT can top this experience. But I plan to find out when my next trip will be the rivers in Europe. Thank you OAT and especially Vu.

Traveler: Sandra Eger from Martinez, CA traveled on April 09, 2012

This tour was beyond our expectations,. based on three major catagories.1. The itinerary was designed to produce an adventure not just a vacation and it did that and more , constantly giving us opportunities to get outside our comfort zone; in the villages, in the jungle of the Mekong delta, in the caves, in the Cui Chi tunnels, in the traffic of Hanoi and Saigon. 2.The hotels, meals, transportation, fees were all taken care of for us and our experience was so cost effective, it was hard to believe. 3.Yhe bonding of the group was an enriching experience and added a whole new deminsion to the trip. The knowledge of the tour guide was very important to the expereince. In all of our trips through many parts of the world, this trip was an adventure for every minute of every day we were there. It gave us sense of the reality of the country and culture we can never forget.

Traveler: Terry Krauss from Seal Beach, CA traveled on April 03, 2012

This was my 10th OAT trip and as usual, it was fantastic. Our guide, Singh, was a treasure. Full of information and insight, a ready smile every day, found extra activities for those who couldn't sit still and lots of fun.
This is one of the most intense trips I've taken. It may have been due to Singh that we had so many extra discoveries but every day was full and after dinner at night, I was ready to call it a day. I wouldn't have wanted to miss one thing - you certainly come home feeling like you know the country and the people. I am still working on my pictures and have found that we did so many things I had forgotten, because we did so much. It's been fun to relive the adventure.
The Vietnamese people are so warm and friendly and it was surprising at first. They have a wonderful outlook. One of my favorite interactions was was 3 university students who, when I asked them how they,and thier parents, felt about Americans coming to their country, said they felt it was best to let bygones be bygones, and look toward the future.
It is a beautiful country and it is growing very fast. They are very resourceful people who have been through so much and are working hard for a better life.
The hotels are great and there is more food than I could eat. Prices are very reasonable and the American dollar is accepted just about everywhere
There were many moments during the trip when I remarked 'this is why I travel with OAT".
Sturdy walking shoes, a pair of sandals and maybe a pair of dressier shoes are all you need. Laundry is cheap and readily available so you don't need to bring lots of clothes. It does get hot as you go south and Cambodia was very hot.
You will have an appreciation of handcrafts after you see how they are made - by hand - not machine.
The markets are an adventure in themselves and the Night Markets are not to be missed.
I'd encourage anyone to take this trip that wants to interact with nearly every social strata, doesn't mind getting up and out early in the morning to beat the heat, and has good mobility.
The only down part was the travel there and back - 16 hours on one plane and 28 hours constant travel was tough...but worth it!

Traveler: Janice Ledtke from Webster, NY traveled on February 29, 2012

For the generation that was so affected by the Vietnam war it is indeed a powerful trip for us. I was very impressed with the way the country has moved on, how beautiful and prosperous it appeared.
When we sat with veterans wether they were from the VietCong of from the Republican side I asked them why they would sit with us and share a meal or drink the answer was very consistent: We are united as one country, we are at peace and we need to move on.

The war museum was an additional powerful experience and an important component of the trip.

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to see the country as it is now and visit with the people.

Traveler: Diane M Johnson from Liverpool, NY traveled on February 26, 2012

I took this trip in March 2012 as a solo traveler. It was fantastic! As expected, the other travelers were excellent company. Khanh, the Trip Leader, was outstanding -- deeply knowledgeable about his country on all dimensions, open and candid yet also diplomatic when needed. His humor and singing kept things lively.

But most important was the country itself -- beautiful and lush, much healed since the ravages of the "American War" as they call it. We were all surprised how friendly people were, since we were obviously Americans and had formerly been the enemy. A new era is clearly in progress. We felt welcome in both the north and south.

The visits with individual people stand out:
-- two village mayors, one who had been in the North Vietnamese Army and the other in the South Vietnamese Army
-- two Bhuddist nuns, one from a contemplative order and the other a social activist who had founded and runs an orphanage
--students at Dalat University
--three former Viet Cong now aged 67-82.

The government's "doi moi" policies since 1986 have successfully encouraged private profit-making businesses and farms. This may be a communist country but it has a very capitalist flavor. Bring your dollars -- they are happily accepted in the marketplace.

My husband, a Vietnam veteran, did not join me on this trip and now he regrets it. So much has changed since 1975. I am so glad I had a chance to see this country in its state of vibrant transition.

Traveler: Katherine Williamson from Carmichael, CA traveled on March 01, 2012

We took the tour on Jan 29th into Feb. 2012 this year the north was cool & required a warm sweater with a windbreaker. This was our 4 tour with OAT and that made it difficult to recieve their information prior to our leaving home. The tour was good & we were all happy to be able to fly the distance between the city's. The drive that we did do was long due to curving roads into the mountains, but the drive was beautiful, the air very clean with the sun shining. I was disapointed that we did not do more in the Mekong Delta area. Siagon was a very busy but clean city.

Traveler: Harvey Prenevost from Edmonton AB traveled on January 29, 2012

We completed the Inside Vietnam trip with the Cambodian extension on March 1st -19th. It took 36 hours-- and four flights-- to get to Hanoi from the east coast so we began the trip tired. The trip was fast-paced, with a lot of early morning wake-up calls and it took almost a week to fully adjust to the 12-hour time change. However, there was sufficient down time scheduled in the itinerary so that people could rest, if needed.

Our guide, Khanh, was fantastic. His English was excellent and he was very knowledgeable about Vietnamese history, local flora and fauna, and the sights of interest we passed along the way. He was always upbeat and fun, extremely well organized, and dependable. He never forgot anything we requested and always went the extra mile to ensure everyone had a good trip. Thai, our Cambodian guide possessed the same admirable qualities.

This trip was everything I expected and more. I can’t believe everything we saw and experienced in such a short time. What other company besides OATS would give you the opportunity to spend a night on a junk; ride in a sampan, an ox cart, and a pedicab in rush hour traffic! (more thrills than any amusement park ride) We were given many opportunities to interact with the Vietnamese people, who were always very open, frank, and friendly. I came home feeling like I really knew what their lives are like, the struggles they’ve dealt with, and how they’re working hard for a better future.

The weather in March was a mixed bag. It was cool and drizzly in Hanoi but, as we moved south it warmed up and got hot! (Cambodia was even hotter- 105 degrees on the day we visited Angkor Wat).

Money was not an issue as most places accepted dollars and even gave change in dollars. I converted $50 to Vietnamese dong at the beginning of the trip and that was more than enough. Cambodia uses dollars as their currency. Take lots of new dollars as everything seemed to cost a dollar and old or torn bills are not accepted.

Lessons learned:
Things I brought that I didn’t need:
•hair dryer- not all hotels had one but enough did that, unless you dry your hair every night, you can get by
•hiking boots- comfortable walking shoes or sports sandals work fine, even in roughest terrain
•walking stick- unless you have trouble with balance, you probably don’t need this
•electricity converters (adapter plugs yes) most modern cameras, laptop computers, etc, can accept dual voltage. Check the back of the plug.
•Snacks- the food is good and we were fed a lot, even on the airplanes
•You don’t need lots of clothes, laundry facilities are readily available and cheap
Things that are good to take:
•One nice outfit for evening dinners
•Clothes, hygiene and school supplies for orphanage- they don’t need toys (The little ones wear clothes that look like summer-weight long-legged pajamas.)
•You are going to meet lots of adorable kids along the way. If you want to bring them something, take pencils, soap, shampoo, or toothbrushes (every hotel room has them and you can give them discretely to the guide to distribute). The kids are thrilled. Don’t bring candy as they don’t see a dentist regularly.

One last piece of advice, if you do the Cambodia extension, go to the "Artisans Angkor", in Siem Reap, during your free time. It is not part of the itinerary but the merchandise is top quality and reasonably priced.

Traveler: HappyWanderer from Columbia, MD traveled on March 01, 2012

We highly recommend this trip to Vietnam, both for the wonderful sites you will see and for the special, emotional experiences you will share. We enjoyed beautiful cities, gorgeous beaches, peaceful countrysides, and impressive mountainsides and perhaps your can see these things in other places. Yet coming to the place where our history intersects violently with theirs, we found caring, friendly people who shared their perspective on the impact of war that will leave us forever changed. It really can't be described but you will experience it if you take this trip.

This trip is very full and each day is busy. (Our guide, Yee, was exceptional, sharing his life and his love of country with us, even to taking us for a special bar b que dinner on valentine's night, even though it was an "on your own night" where he could have had free time.) In fact, we loved everything but wish we had more free time to explore, especially in Saigon. Yee provided great maps in each stop with recommended restaurants and sights on the back. (And they were great choices!! Try Ngon restaurant on Tran Hung Dao St and ask to sit on the patio - wonderful!)

We had more one dollar bills than we needed as we chose to change our cash to dong at our hotels and therefore didn't need as many small bills. Just make sure the American dollars are clean (no ink, tears etc.) Layers worked for the cool weather (Yee emailed us and called us before we came to remind us of the weather.) Laundry in Hoi An was charged by the kilo so everyone did it at that hotel. Take less and launder if you need it, plus rinse out at night, and you are good to go. We had great massages at our hotels in Nha Trang and Hue. Some folks who had never had one before were hooked!

We were in Hanoi on a Monday so the Museum of Ethnology was closed. Rather than miss it, we opted out of the second day optional tour and went and we would recommend this to everyone. It provided information to help us understand the peoples and cultural differences that we saw through our travels. Wonderful, hands on experience in the "village". We then ended up with free time in the afternoon and went to Hoan Keim Lakes for lunch at the City View cafe, overlooking the lake and the Old Quarter of Hanoi.

Our weather on the junk at Halong Bay was misty and cool but so beautiful and the stop at the cavern was amazing and unexpected. This is no small cave - take your camera. Some reviews mentioned they didn't like staying overnight but we enjoyed it and it broke up the drive of 4 hours each way.

Hue was fun, a real change from busy, big Hanoi. The sites of the Citadel and pagoda were great. Walk around to see the pub street and walk the park along the river.

Hoi An was all about the beautiful town and River, touristy but wonderfully so. Be sure to go back at night as the "pedestrian" town really becomes "pedestrian" as they don't let motorbikes in to town in the evening. Do laundry at this hotel as it is charged by the kilo and very inexpensive.

Nha Trang is a city but what a beautiful, beach area. Do not forget your bathing suit. When the itinerary said "beach time", it meant that they took us by boat to a wonderful beach resort with loungers, massage, restaurant etc. We got up early and ran in the morning along the beach promenade and it was full of Vietnamese exercising in all ways - at 6:00 am! If you want ice cream, go to the "four seasons" restaurant on the beach. Yee dropped a group of us off there when he found we wanted to have ice cream and walk a bit and it was great ice cream on a patio overlooking the beach.

Dalat was our visit to a mountain resort, with beautiful scenery on the bus trip and a picturesque village when we got there. We had more opportunities to talk with young people here, both at our home dinner and the university visit. Walk around the lake if you get the chance. Peaceful and beautiful.

Saigon was the end point, kind of like the crown jewel of cities. It is warmer and brighter than Hanoe and we loved the opportunities to be a "tourist" and visit the night spots (albeit very early) of the Majestic hotel roof bar. Go to "Fanny's" for ice cream as they have the most amazing concoctions and unique flavors. It is an ice cream "parlor" type where you can sit on the patio or inside and such a nice area to walk around. Shopping here is good, although we aren't big shoppers, with all the trendy stores, some "outlet" malls shops and the outdoor market. We wished we had another day, or more free time here, as the free time came in little blocks of a few hours here or there. On the other hand, the experience at the war museum was difficult yet important and the visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels was a highlight that brought home the reality of what happened to both the VC and our American veterans. The lunch with the Viet Cong officers was apparently, fairly new to the itinerary and it was amazing, solemn and yet warm, very impressive. The Mekong Delta provided solace and peace. Loved this part of the trip.

Most of all, if you take this trip, we hope you have as wonderful a guide and fellow travelers as we did! We fell in love with Yee's humor and caring, learned much from his expertise, and gained so many experience that weren't in the itinerary (special valentine's dinner, walks to unique places, foods he would stop and have us sample, even a "ferry" trip with the locals, their motorbikes and their bicycles) Between Yee's every effort to show us things and remember what we needed (I wanted Bun Bao and he made sure to show me where to go in Saigon), to the sharing of our group of wonderful travelers, this was a trip of a lifetime.

Traveler: Joe and Margaret Schwarz from Loveland, CO traveled on February 03, 2012

I have traveled 18 times with Grand CircleOAT and found this trip the greatest learning experience ever. I was able to learn about all the sites that were invoved in the war process and now understand them. When the war was happening, I was busy raising my family and paid little attention to what was happening in the world - Viet Nam in particular. I could better understand what Jane Fonda was talking about during the war years. I understand her concern about why we were there. The thing that was most refreshing was the fact that even though we superimposed our beliefs on these people, at this point they have a great respect and love for the Americans. They have come a long way since the war years.

Traveler: Nancy Holan from Waterford, MI traveled on December 31, 2011

Got to hand it to OAT -- they care about your feedback both in print and online formats.
Vietnam and the Cambodian extension is a trip worth taking. If you are of a certain generation, Vietnam will prove a cathartic experience. For us, most of names and places conjured up unpleasant memories of long ago. But today, you will enjoy a refreshing exhale and relish a lush country and its people that have emerged from decades of conflict and war with a smile, a spirit of entrepreneurship and an eye on the future.
Angkor Watt, in particular, is a gem, not to be missed. In Cambodia, the presence and remains of civilizations past far outshine anything in Vietnam.
Overall, OAT did a fine job. The pace of travel was managed efficiently and you get to experience many untouristy sights, local happenings and real people. There is no doubt that OAT offers much value.
On the could do better side:
The international flight connections were demanding and exhausting. Flying counter clockwise to two hub cities with a quick overnight may make economic sense, but it does little to make for a happy traveler at the tail of the trip.
A major disappointment was having arrived in Hanoi during TET New Year and being shut out of museums, shops and attractions. OAT should have informed us before booking those dates.
As typical with OAT, hotels were mixed. Two were downright unsatisfactory. It really is inexcusable considering the inexpensive cost of living in Vietnam.
The overnight on the boat on Halong Bay was unnecessary. We docked the following morning at 7 a.m. so there was not much cruising to enjoy. Plus, we endured a cramped room that reeked of sewerage, gas fumes and produced little hot water.
The tipping situation is over the top. How much better it would be for OAT to factor in and cover all tips except for the main guide, with whom travelers develop a special relationship. Be sure to bring at least one hundred fresh dollar bills!!
All in all, if you are a flexible and not-too-fussy traveler, the OAT experience is hard to beat. Keep in mind that both countries are on the move, Vietnam even moreso. Best to visit now before the invasion of luxury hotels, Starbucks and Walmart.

Traveler: A & A Bianchi, NYC Jan-Feb 2012 traveled on January 20, 2012

Good trip.
Our one complaint was the constant tipping. Either add $200 pp to the cost of the trip or advise people to bring the same in $1 bills.

Traveler: Nancy Savell from Bellevue, WA traveled on January 09, 2012

This was a wonderful trip and our trip leader, Ho Huu Phiem, commonly went way above and beyond expectations. I highly commend him, and he more than deserved the tip he received.
However, it seemed like every time we turned around, we were expected to tip someone else. If tipping is to be a part of the trip (and it certainly is), then that expense should be included in the cost, as other travel operations do. When choosing a tour company I'd like to be able to compare apples to apples, and those hidden costs make a comparison impossible with OAT.

Traveler: Kathryn Killelea from Elma, NY traveled on December 30, 2011

i'VE TRAVELLED AROUND THE WORLD AND THIS TRIP TO VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA WAS THE BEST TRIP I HAVE EVER TAKEN.

OUR GUIDE KHANH WAS OUTSTANDING. WHAT MADE THIS TRIP SO FANTASTIC WAS THAT NO TWO DAYS WERE EVER THE SAME. iT WAS HOW CAN YOU TOP THIS? AND THEY ALMOST ALWAYS DID. THE EXTRA TRIPS WERE ALL EXCELLENT. THE CU CHI TUNNELS WERE EXTRAORDINARY. THE VILLAGE TOURS WERE REAL. THE TRIP TO A LOCAL SCHOOL ON THE WATER WAS AMAZING, HALONG BAY WAS GREAT--THE BOAT HOWEVER COULD HAVE BEEN A BIT MORE UPSCALE.

TRAVEL LIGHT. IF YOU NEED AN EXTRA SHIRT YOU CAN GET THEM ON THE STREET 3 FOR $10 IF YOU BARGAIN. IF YOU GO THROUGH THAILAND AT THE END TO GET BACK TO THE STATES GO TO THE NIGHTMARKET WHERE THERE ARE BARGAINS GALORE!

CAMBODIA WAS INTERESTING AND ANGOR WAT WAS GREAT.

TAKE THIS TRIP. I CANNOT SEE HOW YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.

AN EXTRA SPECIAL ADD ON WAS THAT WE WERE IN SAIGON FOR TET. THE PLACE WAS ABUZZ WITH EXCITEMENT AND IN OUR FREE TIME WE WENT TO THE ZOO AND BOTANIC GARDENS WHICH WAS A GREAT CULTURAL EVENT.

THE PEOPLE ON OUR TRIP WERE OUTSTANDING AND BECAUSE OUR GUIDE WAS SO GOOD IT MADE FOR AN EXCELLENT SOCIAL EVENT.
GO ON THIS TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Traveler: George Borsuk from Melville, NY traveled on January 09, 2012

To tell the truth, initially I had some reservations about going to Vietnam. Years past, I had been there while in the military, and was somewhat cautious about reliving past memories. However, everyone that I talked to who had been there recently said "go." And as my wife wanted to, we "went."

It was one of my better decisions. During the two weeks that I actually spent in Vietnam, the country seduced me. First of all, to see how the country has pulled itself up from the years of oppression is incredible. Don't get me wrong, it is still a third world country, but everyone is so happy. And not once did I sense any animosity toward me. The country and people are simply "beautiful." Spending a night on a junk in the mysterious Halong Bay. Walking through the gardens at the beautiful Zen Buddhist pagoda. Drinking coffee on the terrace while watching the river traffic in Hoi An. Playing with the beautiful happy children at the Minh Tu Orphanage. Crawling through the Cu Chi tunnels. Riding a cyclo-rickshaw in the insane traffic of Saigon. It was unforgettable. So much to experience in such a short time.

And how can I thank our guide, Tran? Intelligent, sensitive, literally psychic when it came to taking care of all our needs and wants. He shared his life, his culture, his country; I have never met someone who was so giving. It was because of him that we actually interacted with the country versus watching from afar. Going into small villages and into people's homes. Leanring how to make rice paper. Stopping along the side of the road to ride a water buffalo. Drinking "weasal poop" coffee, eating fried crickets, kissing a boa constrictor.

The hotels weren't always five-star, but they were more than adequate, with some being quite exceptional. Every meal was superb, literally a seven course Vietnamese feast. The activity level was energetic but not overwhelming.

If you are looking for a tour that is five-star only hotels and learning about the country from museum tours, then this one is not for you. If you want to dance with the Lat Villagers and drink coconut wine, then I stringly recommend: take this tour.

Vietnam now has a place in my heart and I'm thinking of going back. Thank you Tran and OAT, for helping me see that Vietnam really IS a country, not a war.

Traveler: Dwight (Ben) Herr from Lyons Colorado traveled on November 29, 2011

My husband and I returned from our Vietnam trip on January 1st. We both agreed that, with all the many wonderful trips we've taken in many parts of the world, both with groups and on our own, this was one of the very best, and certainly the most interesting.

Our leader, Tam, was one of the main factprs that made the trip so outstanding. He was so bright and knowledgeable about so many things: history, politics, culture, the economy and many of its specific aspects. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was so generous with his time and expertise. He shared a great deal about his own family background and about their experiences (growing coffee, for example), He often brought us little local treats when we returned to the bus after a break.

Tam was always on the lookout for extra little experiences that would help us get more insight into the culture--he would stop the bus and have us all go into the rice fields to talk (with his translation, of course) to the workers, or to walk into a vegetable field that a family was working, or a tiny baguette factory (barely large enough for 4 of us to squeeze in at a time) or a little home family workshop making brooms, where a middle aged man and two very elderly women were sitting on the ground in an enclosure outside their small home making brooms. He had such a nice, respectful way of talking to everyone--they all loved him and responded well to our visits.

Tam also set up a "game" at a very local market, where, divided into teams and given a little money, we competed against each other for which group could buy all of the four food items they were assigned--but Tam wouldn't spell the items or tell us what they were in English--we tried to imitate his pronunciation and ran around the market asking for the items--we ended up with 3 of our 4--and I think the vendors enjoyed the experience as much as we did!

These informal opportunities to meet the people augmented those that were part of the regular itinerary that were also very wonderful and enriching--the visit to the very moving Minh Tuh orphanage, the dinner with a middle class family, the visit with a small monastery, the visits to villages, where we walked around, saw something of their lives and homes, played with the children (they love having their pictures taken, especially when you show it to them afterward!).

Of course, all of the activities that were part of the planned itinerary were fascinating, too. The pace was demanding, but all of us (ranging in age from about 60 to 81) were up to the challenge and enjoyed the level of activity tremendously. We especially enjoyed the walk around the neighborhood with Tam in Hanoi, the visit to Ho's mausoleum and stilt house, the Ethnology Museum in Hanoi, the lovely cruise on Halong Bay, the relaxing day on the beach in Nha Trang, where we traveled by boat and sat on luxurious chaise lounges and read, swam or snorkled, with some having pedicures or massages.

We enjoyed the visit to the beautiful mountain town of Dalat, with its stunning pagoda and interesting university (and I now have a Facebook friend--the young woman who escorted me around the university to practice her English). We enjoyed the mysterious ancient My Son ruins, with Tam expertly interpreting for us. The highlight of Saigon was the optional trip to the CuChi Tunnels--don't be put off by guidebooks that say they can be claustrophic--the most claustrophobic of our group all were able to go comfortably into at least some of the tunnels, and the whole experience was very interesting and powerful.

We had no complaints about any aspect of the trip--the hotels were pleasant and well located, and the food was good. One of the best meals we had, however, was in Nha Trang, when, on a free night, several of us took Tam's advice (and his company) to a special Asian barbecue Lac Can, where we cooked our own meat, fish, shrimp, and vegetables on braziers brought to the table. It was great fun (and we were the only westerners there), and the food was great (and very inexpensive).

The only suggestions we had for the itinerary were to add the Hanoi Hilton and one of the emperor's tombs in Hue (we went to the tomb of Tu Duc) to the regular itinerary. Most of us went to the Hanoi Hilton, which is very well done (even the way-over-the-top propaganda film at the end was fascinating in its way), but that should have been a must for everyone. And the tomb was even more impressive to us than the Citadel in Hue. There were so many of us who wanted to go that Tam arranged for us to pay a nominal fee for the bus driver to take us there, and Tam even joined us and was very helpful in guiding us there.

And a very optional, and very enjoyable trip for most of the women--suggested by Tam from the advice of some of his previous travelers--was a visit to the mud baths in Nha Trang--we had a wonderful, memorable, very bonding experience there--with one husband along as our photographer taking very undignified, hilarious pictures of us all!

Our post-trip to Cambodia was also very wonderful, especially the incredible Angkor temples, where our leader Rith, very knowledgeable and with near-perfect English, was very good at thoroughly explaining the intricate carvings. We also enjoyed the boat ride on the Tonie Sap Lake to see the floating villages, and also our trip on oxcarts to a village, where we visited the oxcart's home.

Obviously, we learned a great deal from our trip and thoroughly enjoyed it. The group consisted of 16 interesting and enthusiastic people, whom we enjoyed spending time with, and again, we can't imagine a better guide and leader than Tam.

Traveler: Lois Gordon from Santa Monica, CA traveled on December 11, 2011

My wife and I went on the November, 2011 Inside Vietnam trip. We were very impressed with Vietnam especially the friendly people and wonderful sights. The highlights of the trip included Ha Long with it's beautiful scenary and wonderful cave visit. Saigon was a combination of old and modern and we enjoyed the bicycle rickshaw ride which enabled us to see neighborhood activiites close up and brave the car and motorbike traffic at intersections. The beauty and coolness of Dalat was a welcome relief. We were also very impressed with the American War museums and discussing the war with the Vietnamese people. Bob is a Vietnam vet and he and a Vietcong vet met and shook hands and hugged each other to indicate old enemies are now new friends.
Our tour guide, Long was outstanding and very attentative to our needs. This was our fourth trip with OAT and one of the best.

Traveler: Robert Reed from Scottsdale, AZ traveled on November 03, 2011

My wife and I have been home for about two weeks and have discussed many elements of our trip. As is always the case with OAT, the logistics, guide, food, transportation were excellent. The hotels ranged from OK (HCMC) to outstanding (Dalat), but all were part of the experience.

Probably the part of the trip that we enjoyed the most comes from reflection and reviewing our photos. Our guide, Lee Trien, did a wonderful job of relating his personal family story with what we were going to see and experience along the way. The journey purposely starts in Hanoi in the north and works its way southward to HCMC (or Saigon per the residents). In the north, you find a much more conservative lifestyle, in dress, in tempo, in the food. and in attitude.

As you get closer to HCMC, the influence of a faster lifestyle begins to show. The young people are adopting non-Asian apparel styles and hair, move faster, talk louder and faster. In fact, HCMC reminds me of Hong Kong 30 years ago. The seaside resorts of Nha Trang and the ambiance of Dalat in the central highlands make for a perfect transition to the hustle and bustle of HCMC.

I can never comment on a trip without including my fascination with the children. Their bright, happy faces in many of my photos tell a complete story in-and-of themselves. Our visit to the Minh Tu Orphanges in Hue was truly inspiring. I do not believe you will see a happier bunch of children anywhere on earth. This visit will uplift anyone. Kudos to the Grand Circle Foundation for its support of this fine facility.

Vietnam today is an exciting place to visit and we highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning about how wounds can heal and attitudes can change.

Traveler: William Thornton from Georgetown, TX traveled on December 03, 2011

I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. Primarily, because we had many opportunities for contact with the Vietnamese people, visited a variety of cities and rural areas, including wonderful trips by boat, and had a very personable guide, Tran.
I felt the Tran's ability to share his life's experience with us was unique. HIs English was excellent. In addition, he was very observant and able to engage people along our way in order for us to make stops to visit a person's home or investigate more closely various crops growing along side the highway. When we had time on our own, he was available to make suggestions on where to eat and the transportation. In general, he was very knowledgeable and very able to answer questions.
I also appreciated that our "shopping" tours were only at high quality places that were examples of what types of art Vietnam produces and included the workshop where victims of Agent Orange make delicate embroidery.
I felt the food was wonderful everywhere we went including the times we were able to participate in the making of it.
All the optional tours were worth taking as well. I learned a lot that I didn't know before this trip and would love to return someday.
Out post trip to Cambodia was wonderful as well and our guide Rith was extremely knowledgeable. It would be easy to have spent more time in both places!

Traveler: Bryna Adelson from San Francisco, CA traveled on August 04, 2011

OAT is a totally professional group. The trip was exactly as advertised. I have mobility issues and their warnings were right on targert. While I could not do everything the group and tour leader and others helped a lot. While I might have had second thoughts about going if I know how hard it would be for me I am very glad that I did it. This trip, unlike others where sights are paramount, exposed me to the culture in Vietnam and certainly made me appreciate what I do have at home even more. The people in Vietnam were most gracious and the language difference was not a problem especially with the tour leader. The tour leader we had in Vietnam was above and beyond excellant. Overall I would certainly recommend this trip.

Traveler: Alan Lachowitz from Edgartown, MA traveled on December 04, 2011

I returned on Dec. 5, 2011 from this Vietnam trip where Huang Si Trung or "Tony" was our excellent guide. He sent us good email before departure with lots of helpful suggestions.

One of the best ideas was to bring lots of small, new US money as US dollars can be used in many places. He mentioned that $2 bills were especially welcomed. I took a few and a couple of vendors got really happy when they saw them.

One other reviewer had mentioned bringing small gifts for the children in some of the more remote villages. Our Tony recommended that we NOT do this. I totally agree with him that it seemed like a bad thing to do. We do not want to turn these children into beggers.

And speaking of gifts for children, many of us brought toys and books for the orphanage near Hue. After being shown through the facility, it looked to me like they have more than enough toys and story books. I would suggest more practical gifts like school supplies and, of course, money.

Ask your guide about the best hotel to have your laundry done. On our trip, it was in Hoi An. It was very inexpensive and convenient..

It was another great OAT trip!

Traveler: Dorothy Hutchinson from Frederick, MD traveled on November 17, 2011

i rated this trip excellent due to the many areas and aspects of the country that we experienced. It was not too hot in the December time frame.
Highlights of the trip were visiting the native villages , Halong Bay on a junk and the exposure to the culture and the forward thinking of the country.

One recommendation for US tourists is to being US dollars as they are widely accepted and easier to use than the Dongs.

We had a great, native tour guide who shared many of his own experiences with us.

The big cities were filled with motor scooter traffic which was amazing to see but dangerous for walking.

The food was healthy, tasty and plentiful and we had many great meals in various restaurants and interesting buffets for breakfast.

Seeing Vietnam, makes one go back and explore our involvement with their country and try to understand how they have coped over time.

It was an ambitious trip as we traveled often and got started early, but overall I highly recommend this trip to the history buff and person with a spirit of adventure.

Traveler: Maxine Brown from Frazier Park, CA traveled on November 23, 2011

It was terrific!! We traveled starting on October 15 - our guide was Nguyen Thanh Phong and Phong didn't miss a trick. I was stationed at Tan Son Nhut in 19712 and always had a curiousity about Vietnam, but it wasn't until 19945 when VN began transitioning from a centrally-planned economy to a more free market, open economy that I started to think more seriously about going back...the results have been startling - what a change! We marveled at their growth. We didn't encounter any tension anywhere and found it interesting that young folks in particular actually stooped us on the streets to practice English. Why OAT tours are so valuable is that they get you down to the people-to-people level, such at Dalat University. The food was great and a lot of it, and VN is brewing some good beers. But the key for making this trip such a success for a returnee was Phong - his sense of humor and his ability to laugh, and to keep everything in perspective - we couldn't thank him enough. But I also have to pass kudos to our OAT guide in Cambodia, Keo Sopharith [Rith}; I felt that I was going through a PhD program he was so knowledgeable. Finally, to the OAT rep in Bangkok, Bennie - thanx. She met us coming and going inspite of the fact that her house had been flooded.
A couple of suggestions: 1) air travel option to supplementalter OAT air itineraries - our flights were long and somewhat in-direct - would have been nice to supplement the cost of an OAT ticket and shorten the travel time; 2) have an option to arrive a day or so in advance in Bangkok to rest our bods; and 3) add a day to the Cambodian trip - there was so much to absorb - we needed an extra day to take it all in.
Bottom line? OAT trips are not vacations, they are 'adventures'...no rest...right up our alley. Finally, thanx to Phong, Rith & Bennie.

Traveler: Colin Harding from Fairfax Station, VA traveled on October 15, 2011

Our recent trip to Vietnam was oneof the best we have ever taken. We have had 8 trips with GCT and OAT and this was one of the top two by far. It was educational, inrteresting, exciting, and fun. Our guide, Tony, was the best we have ever had.

Tony went our of his way to make the trip special for everyone. He would look for things we could do, or experience, that were off the beaten track and not part of the pre-planned itinerary. Often he would take our camera, without being asked, to take our picture of us doing whatever so we could have the memory to take home. He was thoughtful, patient, helpful, generous in time, talent, and treasures, and had a great sense of humor.

One of the things Pat and I enjoy the most with OAT trips is the opportunity to interact with the local people and experience a small slice of their life. There were even more opportunities than usual to do that on this trip then on previous trips. We met and experienced the lives of students, craftsmen, and professional businessmen. We experienced their lives and living conditions in small villages as well as large cities. We were amazed and delighted with their friendliness and hospitality. All of the people we met were warm, friendly, and delightful.

We gained a whole new perspective on Vietnam and its wonderful people. We highly recommend this trip to everyone. You will not be disappointed in any way.

Traveler: Anton Inderbitzen from Front Ro I cannot pyal, VA traveled on November 17, 2011

The 18 day trip to this part of the world was SO wORTHWHILE!Flying to Hong Kong, Bangkok, and hen Hanoi seemed like eternity, but meeting our Guide (Sonny) gave uss an overview of the next 15 days, and iit was as predfictable, since we changed schedule often. Hanoi, as the capitol of this country, is incredible. With only 6 million people, and a population of
88 mil for the country, and it seemed like every one there had 1 MOTORBIKE. NO
ONE CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT A MOTORBIKE.
THERE WERE SO MANY EXCITING VIEWS, all orchestrated well by Sonny,
and as we covered much of Vietnnam from Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, down to the Mekong Bay Delta, l has thousands of pictures! I advise you to put this country on your BUCKET LIST! wintl mather

Traveler: Winton Mather from Walnut Creek, CA traveled on October 30, 2011

In August 2011 my son and I traveled to Vietnam. I was glad that you took the opportunity to tell us in detail your story as a young man living in Vietnam following the American War. Your compelling story was similar to those I have heard from other Vietnamese and similar to that reported by Andrew Pham in Catfish & Mandala which you recommended to us to read as an excellent description of Vietnam following the war. While it was familiar for me, it was new information for my adult son who traveled with me. Our trip leader Tran was responsive to my illness and found a clinic for me to be treated in the city of Nha Trang. He visited me at the clinic before the group moved on to Dalat and we talked each night by phone as he assisted me in getting alternate transportation to Saigon and a flight to Bangkok. I remember out conversations at night in the hotel lobby about Agent Orange, and searching the internet for Ho Chi Minh’s portrait on the Boston gas tanks painted by Sister Corita in the 1960s. Overall, my son and I enjoyed our tour with you in Vietnam. He still talks about the best coffee in the world we had in Hanoi and the greatest vegetarian meal in his life that the Buddhist nuns prepared for us. My son considers the visit to the orphanage as the highlight of the trip. My only regret is that my illness made me lose the last six days of the tour. But, let me reassure you, I would return tomorrow for another tour if I had a chance and Tran would be my choice for a tour guide.
Following the trip I developed a PowerPoint presentation which I have given at my Public Library and at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Mass. Here is the link to the streaming video:
http:vpc.umb.eduOLLI_ReturntoVietnam_120111
I also took the liberty of using Tran's book and movie list as handouts for the two lectures.

Traveler: Joe Carlin from Ipswich, MA traveled on August 04, 2011

I just got back from the Inside Vietnam adventure and loved it. I had been in Vietnam over 40 years ago and was glad to see the progress that the country and people have made over those years. I had read some of the reviewers from travelers who had made the trip which was a great help in planning my trip. One said to bring a lot of one dollar bills which was right because we used a lot of them for tips and for buying items since just about everyone wanted US dollars. They do have ATMs at all the cities and they were used but with the rate being what it was (about 30,000 to $1 USD) we got a lot of money which was sometimes hard to break. And Tony our Tour Leader did a good job in sending us an email before we left also saying to bring USD but also what to bring to the orphanage that we visited. I had gotten some books which the children seemed to enjoy both the pictures and the ones which spoke English. I also read one of the reviews which said to bring the extra soap and shampoo from the rooms and give to the orphanage which was a good idea. Our Leader Tony did an excellent job in accomodating as many of us as he could and succeeded more than not. And he was especially excellent in giving us insight into the people and the country and the history and government. A lot of the young people especially were eager to try their English with some of us and have their picture taken with us. The visit to the Da Lat University was especially a highlight of the trip along with the visit to the orphanage. I'd also have to say riding on the back a motorbike in Hue which Tony arranged and the rickshaw ride in Saigon was a great treat. We went the middle of November and start of December and only found some bad weather (rain and lots of it) in the middle of Vietnam. The rest of the trip was great thanks to our small group and Tony our Leader. It hasn't been over exposed just yet and worth a trip. It's a beautiful country and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to travel and see new sights and new countries.

Traveler: Donald Naseef from Neenah, WI traveled on November 17, 2011

My husband and I are frequent travelers and OAT is our favorite touring company. Because of the outstanding job that Tran did as the guide for our August 2011 trip to Vietnam, we now rate this trip as the best we have ever taken. In addition to providing individual attention and help, Tran made the history of Vietnam come alive. His accounts of his experiences and those of his family, especially during the painful years immediately following the U.S. withdrawal, were enlightening and heart-wrenching. They were integral to our understanding to what we were seeing and helped us appreciate the enormous amount of progress that the Vietnamese people have made since then.

Tran handled every detail and every traveler's needs with professionalism and understanding. In particular, he helped us resolve a problem with a purchase that we had made in the Bangkok airport by coordinating with Benny, OAT's Thai representative. His and Benny's help enabled us to correct the error during our return flight stopover. Tran also helped us find a voltage converter in Vietnam. From early morning to late evening each day he provided help for us as well as for every other member of the trip, whether the need was for purchase assistance and advice, meal preferences, room issues, or the serious medical issue that one of the members of our group had. His English fluency, his knowledge of the country, and his tireless efforts made this a truly memorable trip. If you decide to book this trip, be sure to request Tran as your guide.

Regarding the inaccurate posting by Darryl Munn, we observed on many occasions Tran's efforts to address the needs of Mr. Munn. As with everyone else on the trip, Tran offered Mr. Munn his cell phone number, assisted him during shopping excursions, and went out his way to accommodate Mr. Munn's needs. As a teacher, I know how difficult it can be when everyone in a group needs my attention at the same time. Tran handled this challenge admirably. Like Lesly Robin, Denny Braun, and others who have posted messages about this trip, we are confused and saddened by Mr. Munn's comments, and especially about Tran. Tran showed no favoritism toward any member of group. He provided the same high level of attention to everyone. As to the lunch incident that Mr. Munn referred to, my husband chose not to take the Cue Chi tunnel excursion and took a taxi to the French restaurant where we had lunch following the trip. He paid for his own meal.

Thanks to Tran, we learned, connected, enjoyed, a developed a great appreciation of the extraordinary progress Vietnam has made

Traveler: Sheila Deannuntis from Philadelphia, PA traveled on August 04, 2011

I was on the August 4, 2011 trip and there are now three posts about this trip. Unfortunately, the first post by Mr. Munns was rather inflammatory and critical of our guide. This was quite inaccurate. Our guide was wonderful and I would say the best guide of all my three OAT trips. I know that OAT chooses restaurants, gift shops and "potty stops" for a variety of reasons: cleanliness, reasonable prices, speed of service, local autheticity, cost, etc. I was pleased with all the stops and every activity. Readers of these reviews should know that occasionally there are OAT travelers who cannot or choose not to participate in all activities because of their physical size or stamina. Sometimes this is because of safety, as with the sanpan boat ride in Saigon. Our guide worked hard to accommodate all members of the group, including the four vegetarians. He also greatly helped one traveler who became seriously ill half way through the trip. Tran followed all the guidelines and protocols that I have experienced with other OAT guides. In addition, I hope that potential travelers to Vietnam and also the OAT management know that this trip, the activities and all the stops along the way were outstanding - but especially the guide Tran was exceptionally good. Take this trip!

Traveler: Lesley Robin from San Diego, CA traveled on August 04, 2011

I was on the same trip reviewed by Ms. Palmiotti and Mr.Munns, on August 4th of 2011. While I regard Ms. Palmiotti's comments to be accurate, I believe Mr. Munns' evaluation to be erroneous and misleading. Mr. Munn speaks of a prolonged hour talk near Ho Chi Minh's tomb and accuses our group leader--Tran--of retracing steps needlessly. Tran's talk was elongated by our many questions, and since there is a bus staging area--there was only one way in and out. We had no choice but to retrace our steps. He accuses our leader of allowing the group to become strung out, when in fact this was always caused by laggards in our group. We did not eat late in the evening, as he asserts, nor were there many night activities that were missed because there were only a few evening activities (extra-curricular at that).
At times, Tran did help members of our tour individually--as when one of our members became ill and was hospitalized. Tran went to great lengths to make sure this person had proper medical care and to have him rejoin our group upon his being released from the hospital. The very nature of a good tour leader is to be responsive to important individual needs. Because of this illness, Tran also convened a special group meeting to provide information aboiut this member and to allay our concerns.
We did stop at Friendship Village twice, but not because Tran was getting kickbacks (as Mr. Munn asserts without proof). To begin with, these stops are mostly pre-determined by OAT, as are the restaurants we ate in, not by the group leader. The second stop was on the way back from our activity, did not necessitate any detour, and had pristine restrooms. Also, many of us had requested the second stop because the artwork sold in this store is made by Vietnamese children who have been disabled from exposure to Agent Orange. By our purchases, we helped support these innocent war victims. At this second stop, Tran also kept me from buying an expensive Buddha that I thought was jade (it was onyx), which should disprove any talk of "kickbacks".
Tran did serve our group well by supplementing some of the local guides descriptions (not interrupting them, as Mr. Munn claims). These supplementary comments were most welcome because the local guides English was not as good as Tran's. At times, local guides can be hard to understand (I had the same experience in Lhassa, Tibet).
The restauraunt food was good, but after two weeks in any country, it does begin to taste the same. The restauraunts were clean and frequented by locals as well as tourists--and were more full rather than empty as Mr. Munns attests. As for Mr. Munn's criticism that our Vietnamese food on the trip did not taste the same as in Nashville, it is probably because ethnic restaurants in the U.S. go through an "Americanization" process to coincide with our national taste preferences. I can also say that Thai food in Thailand and Chinese food in China does not taste like food in Thai and Chinese restaurants here in the states. In essence, the food he was eating was more authentic in Vietnam.
Mr. Munns complains of not being allowed to take the dugout canoe to an island, but because of his weight and large size there was a real danger the small boat would have capsized. I see this as a safety issue rather than any bias on the part of Tran.
Mr. Munn's reveiw claims there was not much itnerary once we reached Saigon, which was true. Again, this scheduling is set by OAT and not by our guide. I was personally glad we had more free time at the end so we could all individually explore facets of the city we had special interest in. It was one of the most rewarding segments of our journey.
I have gone on 6 trips with OAT, featuring 6 major trip leaders and at least a dozen or so local leaders. In Asia, I have visited Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Laos, Vietnam, China, Tibet, and Hong Kong. Among all of these leaders and local tour guides, Tran has been the best guide I have encountered to date. I highly recommend this trip to Vietnam. If Tran ends up as your leader, it will be the frosting on your cake!

Traveler: Denny Braun, Ph.D. from San Diego, CA traveled on August 04, 2011

Having seen far too much media coverage of the war in Vietnam and its aftermath, I expected to still see signs of devastation. Instead, I experienced a country showing complete recovery.
Everywhere we went we were greeted with smiles and open arms. Our excellent trip leader, "Rex," took us inside people's homes for a first-hand look at how these industrious folks are thriving in a communist-led country that encourages private enterprise at every level.
Highlights were the cruise on Halong Bay, the mountain town of Dalat, and a visit to the orphanage supported by the Grand Circle Foundation, but in truth, every day became an exciting adventure.
The heat and humidity were tough on this guy from the Colorado mountains, but everything else was first-rate. Our accommodations were all three-star and above, the food was very good (probably healthier than typical American restaurant fare), and our Trip Leader was one of the best I have experienced.

Traveler: Jack Rummel from Longmont, CO traveled on October 17, 2011

Recently returned from the Inside Vietnam trip and can't recommend it too highly. First off we had THE BEST GUIDE - Vu!! He was just amazing and couldn't do enough to insure that our trip was the best.

Enjoyed Hoi An the best and since we didn't do the river trip we had an extra day to just wander in Hoi An. Had some clothing made, along with some of the other travelers - we were all delighted with the quality.

Do the Cu Chi Tunnels if you can. They were hypnotically interesting. Do take advantage of massages in Hoi An, pedicuremanicureetc on the beach resort in Nha Trang. Go to the Opera House in Hanoi if you can.

Pack lightly. You can get laundry done everywhere and very cheaply. Never paid more than $7 to have it done.

CambodiaAngor Wat was amazing. The floating villages on Sonle Sap Lake were amazing. Angor Wat has to be seen to be appreciated. We got there at 7:15AM before anyone else and it was spiritual to say the least. The only complaint we had in Siem Reap was our guide, Rit, who seem totally uninterested in us. Fortunately, we had all been together for 2 weeks already, so we organized ourselves.

Enjoy!!!

Traveler: Virginia Mastronardi from Jersey City, NJ traveled on October 10, 2011

Wow, what a fantastic trip. Our leader Singh was so knowledgeable, fun, friendly and concerned for others. The group all got along very well. I traveled alone and by the time the trip was over I had many new friends that I am not sharing e-mails with. I don't know where to start. We took in so much and had so much fun. I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone, but please do take the Cambodia trip to. Shouldn't be missed and it was so close. I wish we had an extra day in Bangkok to see the highlights. I also would have chosen another time to visit. I went in October and it was to hot and humid for me. Didn't seem to bother the east coast people as much, but being from L.A., I am definitely not used to it. I would recommend Dec., Jan. or Feb. Almost everyone speaks English and take American money. Everyone we met were so warm and welcoming and really don't talk about the war. They say it is in the past and they are living in the present. A lot of changes going on. Many resorts and golf courses being built, but still the flavor of the older days remains.

Traveler: Lindea Thieben from Los Angeles, CA traveled on October 06, 2011

Two places we loved when we had time on our own: Metropole (Hanoi) and La Camargue (Saigon). Take $200 one dollar bills; I only had $100 and had a lot of maneuvering to make them last. Also, get $100 (that's the ATM limit there) worth of Vietnamese money. My ipad was good for airport waiting and to check email at hotels with only a couple computers that often were sought afterbusy at the same time. But, wifi wasn't 100% everywhere; sometimes it wouldn't work in the room BUT oftenusually was ok in the lobby. I learned (from fellow travelers) that you don't need a converter; I just plugged it in like I do at home. OAT food FANTASTIC...except our home visit(yuck).

Traveler: Anna Catherine Savage from Hilton Head Island, SC traveled on October 15, 2011

Inside Vietnam is an excellent, well balanced, well organized and active itinerary.

Our guide, Lee Trien was excellent. When he contacted participants by email a few weeks before the trip, he gave us a link to his excellent website which answered 95% of the questions anyone would want to ask about the Inside Vietnam trip. He is a well experienced OAT guide with and delivered the OAT itinerary with enthusiasm, professionalism and compassion. With this kind of person as trip leader, you can’t help but have a fabulous trip.

We had a full group of 16 and our busses were large and roomy with enough seats so it never felt crowded. We all appreciated the complimentary water each morning on the bus as well as with the large, cold wet-wipes during the day. It was still hot in October.

Some suggestions:
1. You are on your feet a lot as there are several walking tours and pedestrian areas to explore, so you might want to have two pair of suitable walking shoes

2. Bring shoes that can get wet or muddy -- these will be useful in village visits

3. On arrival in Hanoi, change about $100 USD into Vietnamese Dong. Ask for low denominations. Except for shopping (where you can use US Dollars), it is easier to pay for drinks at meals and taxi’s with Dong.

5. ATM’s will give you larger denominations (i.e.: a 500,000 Dong note is worth about $25.) which can be difficult to change unless you are buying a higher priced item.

4. Best shopping (in my opinion) was in Hoi An - lots of small shops and is known for its tailors though no one in our group had anything custom made; and Saigon - the huge Ben Thanh Market and the two “Russian Markets.” You could easily return home with a new, name-brand wardrobe as well as luggage!

5. I had eyeglasses made in Saigon -- excellent work, lovely frames -- and came home with six pair. The eye test, by computer and optician was free. There is a street next to the Ben Thanh Market with numerous opticians. Go the afternoon you arrive in Saigon - glasses are ready in 24 hours. I used Tien My Opticians, 102 Le Thanh Ton Street, Saigon cell: 0906 965 102. Our group stayed at the Hoang Hai Long Hotel which was two blocks away.

6. There are three internal flights using a 68 passenger ATR72 plane with 2-2 seating. A small carry-on is best, but Vietnam airlines will gate-check your wheeled carry-on. On the flight tofrom Bangkok, carry-on is no problem. The luggage allowance is 44 pounds and a little overweight is OK. Best is to pack light at the beginning of the trip.

7. Phone: Lee helped me buy a local sim card for 30,000 Dong (about $1.50) and I put $20 worth of credit on it. I called the US every day, sometimes twice a day and made numerous local calls. I ended the trip with about $4 of talk time left over. If you don’t have a GSM phone, you can buy one very cheaply in Vietnam. This is much easier than messing with roaming.

This is a stellar trip, with an amazing, knowledgeable, conscientious and helpful guide. The itinerary is well designed, the food excellent and the hotels are comfortable and well located . Don’t miss it!

Traveler: Esther from Arlington Heights, IL traveled on October 25, 2011

This was a great trip! One reason this trip was so good was the people; our leader, Yee, was informative, funny, helpful and fun to be with; the other travellers were interesting, intelligent, and willing to try everything; and finally, the people we were introduced to, from the chief of the village near Hanoi and the chief from "The Day in the Life," the students at the University, the family from Dalat, the nuns at the orphanage and the monastery, etc. The people made the trip! Another reason the trip was wonderful was the variety of activities, both those that were scheduled and the optional tours (that were not expensive, but very worthwhile). Advice: Always carry extra toilet paper or tissues. Carry lots of small American dollars. The only hardship of the trip was the layover in Bangkok. It would be easier and more comfortable to fly directly from Narita to Hanoi if possible.

Traveler: Deborah Wright-Prince from Shorewood, MN traveled on October 13, 2011

I can not believe that I was on the same trip to Vietnam {[with Tran} as Mr.Munn from Nashville was on. Yes, Tran talked about his family and their struggle,which was really dramatic, this only brought light to the struggle that many Vietnamese people went through, There was so much to see throughout the trip that our evening meals were served around 7:00pm I was tired after a long day but other members of our group went out to enjoy the night life. It is the OAT policy to treat all of its travlers well; but I guess like all travel and cruise comanies past guests are given some additional considerationTo say that Tran gave certain travlers better treatment to get higher tips was rediculous. Yes, we did stop at the same shop twice for clean "potty" stops. Perhaps Mr. Munn has not travled with OAT before if he feels that the tour leaders stop only at their "cousins" shop so that he can get a kickback.Grand Circle and OAT chose the restraunts and the shops not the tour leaders. As far as Tran not staying with us at night that is really unfair. He was with us all day gave us suggestions where we cold go for dinner and or enjoy the night life.If there was a scheduled event Tran was with us. Mr Munn was right about the food. The food was really good but repeative. Inorder to keep the prices below some of the other tour companies OAT and GCT choose hotels and restraunts that are far less expensive than the delux choices. Yrs, there were times that I wished we were dining at the Four Seasons and staying at the Ritz but I was not willing to pay for their additional costs.Besides the more expensive tour companies do not give you the experience that was afforded us on our trip.
Well Mr. Munn, I guess you will not be traveling with OAT any time soon.But you really angered me with your review. You said things that may have been true but you so meligned Tran that I feel I must disagree with you.
For those of you who wish to go on this trip DO SO . Was it hot -VERY:Did we get tireed of some of the food-Sometimes. Was the trip worthwhile -YES Were the people of Vietnam and the countryside fabulous-YesShould you take this trip- Don't even think about it Book now.

Traveler: Karen Palmiotti from Santa Rosa, CA traveled on October 07, 2011

OH MY GOSH, this trip fulfilled my childhood dream. For many years I have dreamed of going to Asia and this trip to Vietnam was all that I could ask for. Being a first time "traveler" I was encouraged to step out of my comfort zone on occasion and I am so glad that I did. Although the heat and humidity, decided by a higher power, was hard to take our entire group of 13 perservered and were introduced to a world that was warm, hospitable and full of energy. Our tour guide, Tran, exposed us to all that was offered and then some. It is perhaps the off the road stops that provided me with all I was hoping to find. The people we met along the way were surely the best part of the trip for me. Every person wanted to welcome us into their home and treat us to something. The village experiences were fabulous. It is my beleif that Tran and OAT fulfilled all of our expectations plus much more. Our group became a family of which certainly Tran was a very valued member. I thank OAT for this trip of a lifetime and hope that with my retirement in four years, it will only be the first of many!

Traveler: Rhonda Macauda from Staten Island, NY traveled on October 07, 2011

This trip was much more than we expected. It was wonderful. The guides were outstanding, caring, and always had our best interest at heart. Even if that meant having a thimble made for me, when none could be found in any stores. We loved the variety of transportation modes even in the rickshaw in Saigon in evening travel. Our guide in Viet Nam, Vu, was exceptional. We especially loved the orphanage visit in Hue, the university experience in Dalat, the cultural experiences like the evening in the Lat village, the overnight stay on the junk in Ha Long Bay, the home hosted meals in all three countries, handing out alms to the monks in Laos. Each of the optional tours was well worth experiencing. The weather was hot and humid (not OATS' doing) but we were handed bottles of water and hand wipes after each activity for the most part.
You need to experience the adventure of this trip and the love of the people. We have no problem answering the question by so many "Why did you want to go there?" even to our Detroit custom agent at the Detroit Airport upon our return. This area was on our bucket list and those people had better be ready for a long answer.

Traveler: Imkje Pribac from Clinton Township, MI traveled on September 17, 2011

Once getting to Vietnam the tour started in Hanoi and ended in Saigon. Because the tour guide over emphasized his family's experiences during the Vietnam war we were exposed to a lecture for over one hour in a courtyard at Ho Chi Minh's tomb in over 90 degrees heat and high humidity in the hottest part of the day. We passed through shaded areas to get to the plaza and after his lecture we went back to the same places we had walked through. Throughout the tour he over emphasized the same stories we had already heard and had to rush to get to the next part of the tour and missed part of the activities. Because of this the tour group was strung out and he did not ensure everyone was still with the group because he was rushing to get to the next point. This also held true when going from one town to another. We would either be too early and he would kill time waiting to get to the hotel. Evening meals were always late in the day and pretty much kept us from seeing the point of interest at night. He catered to previous OAT travelers and treated members of the tour group differently. He concentrated on members of the tour he thought would give him the largest tips at the end of the tour. We stopped at the same jewelry and gift shop twice and I am sure he was getting a percentage of what was purchased by the tour group. During the Mekong Delta portion of the trip a local tour guide took over the group but Mr. Tran would continually try and take over the group. We took a boat to an island where we were to take a sanpan to the island. Mr. Tran would not allow me take the sanpan and I stayed on the boat and went to the pickup point where most of the other tours started to see the island. I waited there for over an hour until the rest of the group completed the tour. Since there were two guides at that time Mr. Tran could have taken me into the island from where I was waiting for the rest of the group to complete the tour of the island. Mr. Tran on both occasions where a local tour guide was needed would keep interrupting the local tour guide. If he was so knowledgeable of these areas why have a local tour guide confusing the information being given. Once in Saigon the trip was a complete waste because it was nothing more than a starting point to go to other parts of the area and once again pay more money to go to an attraction that should be part of the tour. You should include a night tour in Saigon. Because this was Mr. Tran's home he left the tour group in the evening and did not offer any places to see at night except go to the central market. As for the restaurants we went to restaurants on the most part were completely empty because they were there for tour group. The only restaurant that was frequented by the locals was the PHO restaurant in Saigon for lunch which was the most enjoyable meal I had while on the tour. Most of the restaurants pretty much served the same type of food which was more chinese than Vietnamese. I am sure Mr. Tran was also getting a kickback on these restaurants that were chosen. I have had more and better vietnamese food in Nashville than I had in Vietnam which is a shame since their food is much better than what we were given. To sum up the tour, if you pay the extra for the side trips most of them were rip offs and should be part of the tour since there was so much wasted time at the hotel waiting to either go to dinner. The best part of the tour is when we returned to Bangkok and Benny took us to the shopping mall and was willing to take us to the night market. It is a shame we were treated better by a tour guide in Bangkok than the one in Vietnam. I am sure Mr. Tran got good reviews from most of the tour group since he catered to certain members of the group. I am also sure that after one of the side trip lunch was part of the trip that a member of the group that did go on the trip was at the restaurant when we finished the tour and probably did not pay for the lunch since he was one of Mr. Tran's targeted members of the group.

Traveler: Darrell Munns from Nashville, TN traveled on August 04, 2011

Upon my return many asked me how I liked Viet Nam and answered - it was great. However, those were not the right words so after a few days went by the correct word is
"Inspirational".

Naturally, I loved everything about the journey through both countries, Viet Nam and Cambodia - Our guides were the best there can be - the learning opportunities were endless, the food delightful and the places we visited were excellent. But what will stay with me forever are the people - the people we met and their families before them have gone through things unimagineable to us here in the US and yet
they are positive, full of energy and enjoying the now and looking forward to their future.

Their spirit has enriched me and for that I will be forever grateful. I hope more people will visit and gain this enrichment.

Traveler: Ann Bannes from Saint Louis, MO traveled on August 25, 2011

I enjoyed this trip very much. The itinerary allowed me to see Vietnam from north to south and to see how the country has developed in the last 20 years. The trip is well paced. There is free time to explore on your own, if you do not take the optional tours. We enjoyed seeing Hanoi and Saigon independently..The hotels ranged from poor to excellent with most in the good range. All of the hotel rooms were spotlessly clean. The location of the rooms within the hotels was a problem at times-ie one of our rooms was right below the kitchen so we were awakened by the scraping of chairs overhead as they set up for breakfast at 4:30 am. The food at lunch and dinner was excellent and varied. The breakfasts ranged from poor to excellent with most in the good range.

Traveler: Shelley from Leominster, MA traveled on February 26, 2011

Everyone will have their own experience, but here is a 7-minute video to give you a taste of where we went and my own impressions of this country:

http://www.vimeo.com/20126733

In short, this OAT trip was all that I was hoping for plus more.

Traveler: Rick Van Ness from Mukilteo, WA traveled on January 19, 2011

Were were devoted OATS travelers after our wonderful experience with Ultimate Africa. We were sadly disappointed with our trip to Vietnam. The hotels were substandard at best.The sheets had not been changed upon our arrival and there was no hot water. In Hue there was a loudspeaker outside our window & broadcasting began at 5AM. In Hoi An our room was below the kitchen & we were awakened at 4AM when the kitchen staff arrived. The food was scarce & not very good at several restaurants. It was obvious the restaurant staff wanted us to leave ASAP as the first course was brought before we were seated. It was cold in Hanoi & we had to eat with several layers of clothing on as the restaurants provided no heat. Our wonderful trip leader, Son, did his best to mitigate these conditions, but it was obvious the trip budget was not what it should have been for as much as we paid for this trip.

Traveler: Diane Smith from Napa, CA traveled on January 21, 2011

Just back from this fantastic trip. The three of us loved everything about it except the very cold weather in Hanoi and central Vietnam which we can't blame on OAT. Above all our first leader - Tran- was incredible and we got to know him so well that when the cold he caught from one of us laid him so low he had to be given sick leave in Dahlat we were really sad. But his replacement Veung was also excellent and gave us a different perspective on this fascinating country.Since tips from others helped us prepare I can't resist giving a few of my own.
1. Travel light -even needing to prepare for cold in the north and hot in the south can be handled with a few select changes.One day laundry service was available at all the hotels. Internet was available at all hotels for free. Bring good walking shoes and watch your step -lots of obstacles and pot holes along the way. I was so enjoying the sights in Halong Bay as we walked to get on our junk that I walked right into a mooring post and took what could have been a bad fall.
2. Bring lots of 1$ bills - can be used everywhere. Practice exchange for dongs in VN...20,000 per dollar means you get a lot of big denomination bills. ATMs will give you two million dongs for $100- if you use their large denomination bills for small purchases change can be confusing and it is possible to be short changed.
3. My pet peeve - they cut napkins into very small pieces so you use a lot -bring a pack of nice ones and it will make meals more plesant and not waste any paper.
4. Leave US politics behind - you are here to learn about Vietnam not just fight over differences among members of the group whether about the war or current policies.
5. Take the optional trips - we had the boat trip in Hoi An cancelled because of coldwet weather but loved the other three trips - yes its long bus rides but we got to know our leaders and their stories and learned a lot along the way. Lat village was very interesting.
6. Get a massage in Hue , a hair cut in Saigon and a foot massage at the beach in Nha Trang
7. Eat out at high end restaurants when you have the chance. The OAT restaurants were mainly good, but one gets a little tired of the same type of tourist meal - soup, spring rolls, three entries -from fish, chicken, pork or beef, and desert. Drink beer (good, cheap) not wine (expensive and just OK - mostly from Chile).Dinner at hotel in Saigon was poor.We enjoyed ala carte at Seasons in Hanoi (near hotel), Cargo in Hoi An, and La Camargue in Saigon.
8. Shopping - we are not big shoppers and liked that this trip did not involve much of it. People who like markets will love the opportunity to bargain . If you think something is worth say half the asking price just offer it and walk away when the counter offer is given., If you have offered a price they can live with they will usually give it to you. We liked the small museum shop in Hanoi (Ethnicity museum) for fixed price nice items. Get your trip leader to walk you to the market in Saigon (quite an experience dodging motor bikes) and take a cab back. Bring a few items for the orphanage in Hue but pick up flowers in Dahlat market for your home host -Beautiful flowers there. Keep all your unused hotel amenities (e.g. tooth paste) and give to your guide for the children in the Montagnard village.
9!! Go to Angkor Wat!! We wanted more time there than the OAT extension allowed so we "broke away" in Saigon and went on our own with Saron tour. 5 Days was barely enough to see all we wanted to see (we used the Rooney guide) and we enjoyed Siem Reap immensley, Happy to share ideas about that side trip(ftbond@comcast.net)

Traveler: Frederick Bond from Santa Rosa, CA traveled on January 07, 2011

Exciting - Unique - Beautiful - Educational. These words only begin to describe our trip to Vietnam that began January 1, 2011. OAT has without a doubt put together an outstanding trip that gives travelers the opportunity to really see and experience not only the country, but also its culture. This trip, our 15th with OAT, was one of the best trips we have ever taken. When looking back on the trip, we realize how much we saw of Vietnam, what a beautiful country it is, and how friendly are its people. Although the trip was demanding, we never felt rushed or that we had missed something.

And, who better to lead us on our adventurous journey through Vietnam, than our most excellent guide, Vu Nguyen Van. Without a doubt Vu is the best guide we have ever had -- knowledgeable, dedicated, hardworking, enthusiastic, with a joyful outlook on life and a delightful sense of humor. We thoroughly enjoyed the many personal stories he shared with us, and were very impressed with his caring, thoughtful and kind ways.

As we enjoyed this trip so much, it is hard to say what we liked most about the trip. However, we especially enjoyed meeting the local people and listening to what their lives were like in Vietnam, both in the past and now; trying all sorts of local transportation; learning about many of the local cottage industries that have been around for centuries, as well as trying to make some of the items they produce; our Vietnamese cooking class; and definitely our visit to an orphanage run by Buddhist nuns, where the children really captured our hearts.

Our accommodations throughout the trip were very good and well-located, so that we could either walk to nearby attractions or take a short ride on the local transportation. Each of the places we visited was unique in its own way, so we didn't feel like we were visiting the same things over and over. The foods we ate varied from region to region, giving us the opportunity to try many different dishes. We also enjoyed sampling many different local snacks that Vu introduced us to.

Would we recommend this trip? Definitely. But, don't wait too long to go. With all the many changes that Vietnam is currently undergoing, many of the things we saw and experienced may soon disappear.

And, when taking this trip, don't miss out on the post-trip to Cambodia. Angor Wat, along with the other temples in the Angor complex, are all truly amazing. The boat trip to Tonle Sap Lake is another highlight. Add to this the other interesting things that there are to see and do while in Siem Reap, and you realize what a great time you will have on the post-trip.

Traveler: Erika Daileda from Torrance, CA traveled on January 01, 2011

I just returned from a wonderful experience in Vietnam. I had misgivings about the weather because I do not handle heat very well, but travel in this time spot worked out very well for me. The north was nice and cool, the middle country was moderate with only little rain and the southern part around Saigon was not excessively warm.

Traveling solo presented no problems to me because as always with GCTOAT there are others who travel alone. Plus, I have always found that couples incorporate everyone into the group. Our group in Vietnam was like family.

The air flight tofrom Vietnam was lengthy as can be expected. All of the domestic flights within the country on Vietnamese Airline were on modern aircraft and all the airports were modern with western toilets. Our group encountered no problems with long lines or flight delays. The OAT representative (Benny) at the Bangkok airport made that stopover not only stress-free , but enjoyable.

I found the people in Vietnam very friendly and receptive to Americans. They appreciate tourists and understand that their present flourishing economy has resulted
from better relations with the West. The free market economy is in full swing.
US dollars were accepted everywhere and the exchange rate very favorable.

Our guide Quang was a Vietnamese gentleman who fully understood the culture of his
country and communicated this well to us. OAT uses only native guides who can add authentic depth to the experience. Quang was very open and we felt comfortable discussing even delicate matters with him. His good sense of humor set the tone for a
completely friendly atmosphere among our members.

I appreciate OAT’s philosophy to utilize the moment when opportunities arise. When something interesting popped up, like farmers plowing with water buffalo in a rice field, Quang ordered the bus driver to stop so we could take pictures. We saw many things that were not listed in the itinerary.. Our particular group had a veteran of the war that took place 40 years ago and on a number of occasions Quang turned the mike over to him to relate his experiences and feelings both then and now. I would venture that among every group that takes this trip that there will be a veteran among them.

The agenda was loaded with exciting undertakings from sailing aboard a junk in Halong Bay, watching a water puppet show, home hosted meals to crawling through wartime tunnels near Saigon. Every accommodation well suited our needs. The choice of restaurants with authentic Vietnamese dishes could not have been better. Expect to gain some weight.

This was my 19th trip with Grand Circle TravelOAT and it ranks among the top.
Never have I taken so many photographs on a trip. Highly recommend the trip!

Traveler: Frederick Wulff from New Ulm, MN traveled on November 23, 2010

I just returned from the amazing trip to Viet Nam. I echo all the rave reviews below about the country and its generous and forgiving people and I cannot say enough good things about our guide Tam.

One suggestion I would like to make for future Viet Nam travelers concerns the children you see along the way. While packing something for the school visits, I suggest you to also pack travel size soap, shampoo, colorful band-aids, toothpaste and tooth brushes to give to some of the children you meet in the villages. They love the gift and, in many cases, need them.

Traveler: Ann Barkley from Portland, OR traveled on October 26, 2010

Oh my gosh! What a trip. Our guide Vu was incredible. He made this journey so wonderful. I could go on and on, but I so much recommend this trip. The food was great, people of Vietnam wonderful, and friendly. A great insight on how the Village people live. I had so many different experiences, from eating a bettle nut, to hiding on a water buffalo, to smoking a pipe with a remote village man. If you do go on this trip, I hope you are blessed with Vu as your guide. I cannot say I had one dislike. I loved Delat the most. Do ride on a motorbike- great ride!!!

Traveler: Judith Green from Laguna Woods, CA traveled on September 09, 2010

I was fortunate to participate in the pre-trip in Thailand and then in the main trip in Vietnam with the nicest people in the world. Staying in the river camp was a unique experience, and it gave me time to recover from the long flight. The optional tour to the elephant camp and spa over looking the river was fun and relaxing. The pools with the "tilapia gangsters" made me laugh and laugh. Having little fish nibble at your body is more fun than you'd expect. Don't miss this experience. Each day was filled with so many new and interesting experiences. Our guide, Sylvie, introduced us to several new fruits and treats and showed us how to make pad thai.

Vietnam was lush and beautiful. We always had good meals in often out-of-the-way restaurants. The hotels were clean and pretty with every convenience we hoped for. Vietnam is a shopper's paradise. The tour took us to a few big stores where we could buy things particular to Vietnam, and the prices were very good. I did not feel any pressure to buy. It was clear the the quality of the lacquerware in HCMC was very high.

Hoi-An, Dalat, and HCMC were my favorite cities. I did not take the optional tunnel tour from HCMC, so I had time to wander around and enjoy the beauty of the city. We were in Vietnam during Tet, which is like all of our holidays in one. The cities were beautifully decorated with lights and flowers, and everyone seemed to be in a good mood.

Our gude, Khanh, was caring and attentive to a couple of people who couldn't walk as fast as the rest. He was intelligent and humorous. He described all of the religious and cultural customs of Vietnam without indicating in any way his own opinion. He was the best guide ever.

The trip was so much more than I expected. We were busy from morning until night experiencing things on the printed itinerary and also some extra surprises. I highly recommend Inside Vietnam to anyone who wants to experience as much of the country as possible.

Traveler: Lucretia Mishou from Kenai, AK traveled on February 03, 2010

I have been asked by many "Why Vietnam?" ... a "why spend all that time and money" kind of questioning.

My responses: 1) I have long desired to return to Vietnam where I spent a year (1968-69) flying 139 combat missions out of beautiful Nha Trang; 2) while I did not feel the need "for closure", I wanted to see how this war-wracked country has recovered over the years ... especially after hearing glowing and positive reports from friends who visited recently; and, 3) whatever your views might be of the war, it wasis a significant, even societal-changing event for our nation ... and the death of over 58,000 Americans should compel us to be aware of what Vietnam is today, and the lessons they offer to us Americans, and to the rest of the world.

Thanks to OAT's small group approach, which facilitates and encourages meeting the local people, and an excellent tour leader in Nguyen Van Vu, it was an absolutely fulfilling trip.

Allow me to share a few highlights. Firstly, in a spontaneous and generous offer, a former Viet Cong offered a toast to me of "friendship and renewal", which I had the privilege of returning. Secondly, I can confirm enthusiastically the "glowing and positive reports" about Vietnam's remarkable growth in their economy and general well-being. Finally, I was greatly impressed with how this strong, resilient people have adopted the virtues of capitalism and a free market environment.

Go and see for yourselves. I highly commend this trip.

Traveler: Tom Tamura from Goodyear, AZ traveled on March 10, 2010

I have been home about 2 weeks and I am still very pleased with the adventure of Vietnam. I really can't think of a negative thing. I liked some places better than others but our leader Vu worked very hard to keep everyone happy. I have been telling people to go before the country changes too much.
What I really appreciated is that Vietnam does not seem to be "saving the past" They are looking forward with hope and promise to the future of their country. And they seem to really like Americans!!

Traveler: Penelope Pawl from Napa, CA traveled on March 10, 2010

This was an excellent experience led by our superb guide, Mr. Le Kha.
The highlights of this trip would include Halong Bay and the "unexpected".
Halong Bay exceeded expectations. Pictures and words cannot do justice to the experience. The junk and crew were wonderful, the food was tasty and plentiful. Swimming off the back of the boat in the sunset is not an opportunity to be missed. Pack your swim togs.
As for the "unexpected". An October travel date did permit tropical storms in the area to impact our itinerary. Our guide was able to minimize the negative impacts and provide us an opportunity to experience Vietnam, off the beaten path.
Bonus: Vietnam utilizes an alphabet rather than a character based written system so independent navigation is easy.
Recommendation: Take the pre-trip to the River Kwai. Not only does this provide an opportunity see another Thailand besides Bangkok, the pace is relaxing (yet active) and allows the traveller to recover from the long flight(s) from the U.S.

Traveler: Rudder from Saugerties, NY traveled on October 20, 2009

Best tour guide ever. Bill-a scholar and a gentleman. Bill was our best tour guide and this was our 7th trip with GCTOAT. He went the extra mile to make this a most memorable trip for all of us. Bill was caring and personable and made sure that we are always satisfied and well taken care of on a daily basis.
The reason we liked this trip so much is because of the most interesting sites that we visited and the most delicious food of Vietnam that we tasted. In addition, we thoroughly liked the little extra perks that were offered to us, such as a drink of coconut on a little basket boat and the most interesting locations for some of the meals, such as having lunch at a small village hosted by the village chief.
All the hotels were outstanding and the overnight stay on the junk in Halong Bay was no doubt a once in-a lifetime experience. Also, the free time that was offered was plenty to savor the local flair of Saigon for instance and spend some wonderful time sunbathing and swimming in the South China Sea.
This was an outstanding trip which we highly recommend. We are looking forward to booking our next trip sometime soon.

Traveler: Arnon and Bob from Los Angeles, CA traveled on January 27, 2010

This was a great trip. We came back with a much greater understanding and appreciation for the Vietnamese and Cambodians.

On the trip over, we arrived at the Bangkok hotel at 1am. We left the following morning at 9:30am, which wasn't as bad as we feared. The return trip is more arduous though, with a 3:30am departure from the same hotel. The internal flights were all efficient and on-time, using modern Airbus 320 planes.

A typical day on the tour involved a wake up call at 6:00am (give or take a half hour) and boarding the bus at 7:30am. The trip was quite "on the go", and the half day at the beach on Mieu Island out of Nha Trang was a very welcome "vacation from our vacation". A few people brought bathing suits and ventured into the water.
Visiting Angkot Wat on the post-trip involved quite a bit of hiking up and over the ruins.

January is supposed to be not the rainy season, but it rained most days. You definitely want to take a jacket and hat to repel rain. Some of the hotels had umbrellas in the rooms, and we didn't mind that we didn't bring ones of our own. The boat in the Mekong Delta provided disposable ponchos. The temperatures ranged from cool (50's) in HanoiHalong Bay to hot (90's) in Saigon and Cambodia.

The OAT literature advised to bring packaged wipes to clean your feet after entering a pagoda. We brought our own but didn't use any of them. Ample wipes were provided on all the tour buses, and we only had to remove our shoes a few times. Also, we brought binoculars, but never used them.

The food was really good throughout the trip. A typical meal included soup, white rice, fruit, and four meatvegetable dishes. At each meal we had new dishes to try. No one went hungry. In fact, by the second
week, we were all looking to cut back on the amount of food we were eating.

We were somewhat apprehensive about how many eastern toilets we would have to deal with, but this was not a problem at all. We never encountered them as the only alternative.

We visited a couple of elementary schools and an orphanage. It looked like basic school supplies would be appreciated. We spent time on the playground with young students, and they were improvising games, playing a form of jacks with stones and using a short jump rope. Maybe some simple game elements would be a good gift. We were told that the orphanage could use some new or gently used kids' clothing.

One unexpected hightlight was visiting the university in Dalat. We got a briefing from a faculty member, but then we were paired up 1-on-1 with university students who wanted to practice their English. The students gave us private tours of the campus, and we had a chance to talk individually. That lasted over an hour. The students were full of questions for us and were eager to answer anything we asked.

Of course there are many shopping opportunities throughout the trip. Some locations are known for specific items, and the Program Director explained all of this on the first day. On the way from Hanoi to Halong Bay, we stopped at a place where all kinds of crafts were made and sold to support disabled citizens. There was a large selection of silk goods, laquerware, etc. If you want something that looks nice for a reasonable price, this is a good place to get it. You might be able to get something similar or of higher quality later, or more specialized elsewhere, but if you see something you like here, you won't be sorry that you bought it here (and maybe wish you had if you didn't). If you want a custom-made silk clothes, Hoi An is the place to have them made (they even do two extra fittings after it's made). If you want a nice inexpensive item off the rack, you won't find a much better selection than at this stop.

Change cards were accepted at most major places, but there is the extra 3% fee most cards add when used overseas that we wanted to avoid. Managing the foreign currency took a bit of forethought. Aside from the cumbersome exchange rates (18,500 VND per $1), you don't want to end up with alot of VND since you won't
be able to spend them anywhere else. In Vietnam you can use US$ for many purchases, and many in our group found that they were running short of US dollars more quickly than they expected. There are some places where VND are needed, so you definitely want to get some local currency. One strategy is to get VND from an ATM and use them for local purchases, conserving the US$. If you have left over VND when you're about to leave, you can give them as part of your final tips. ATMs were available everywhere, although they
don't all support all services (Cirrus, Pulse, etc.), if you care. In Vietnam, some had a limit of 2M VN Dong (about $110). If you want more cash, you need to do multiple transactions. Cambodia is a different story. They take US$ everywhere and you don't need Cambodian currency at all for the post-trip. In fact, the ATMs will give you US$.

If you are booked to take this trip, you will definitely enjoy it.

Traveler: Judith from Austin, TX traveled on January 04, 2010

We were very lucky to have two excellent guides, Tran in Vietnam and Thai in Cambodia. They were both very knowledgeable and made our trip very exciting. Some of the things I felt was very exceptional in Vietnam was our cruise on Halong Bay, visiting the Citadel and the orphanage in Hue, Hoi An and the visit to My Son, and certainly our visit to Ho Chi Minh City. Most of our days started at 7:30 AM and went till dinner and we returned with a great feeling that we have had a wonderful experience. If we past something on the road that Tran thought we would like we stopped to take pictures. One day we pasted a wedding and Tran got us all invited. We had a great time and the guest were sorry that we had to leave. It was a wonderful experience for all. In Cambodia, I was awe struck by our visit to Anchor Wat and Anchor Thom. We also enjoyed seeing the floating village on Tonle Sap Lake. We had two home hosted meals ( one in each country) and they were excellent. We even good a chance to make desert in one of the homes. This was a trip not to be missed. Again, let me thank our two guides for a wonderful experience.

Traveler: Jay from Monroe Township, NJ traveled on December 22, 2009

The Inside Vietnam trip is amazing value - consider that the price includes five flights on Air Vietnam from Bangkok through Vietnam and back to Bangkok.

Trip Leader
Our trip leader - Nguyen Van Tri, aka Bill, was the best leader we have ever had. He did some extraordinarily helpful things like giving us a detailed itinerary before the trip that included times for 'bags outside' and times for all the activates we were going to do during the trip. He gave us detailed maps of each city showing where our hotel was and where there would be nearby restaurants on days when we would eat out. He provided tremendous personal service- checking in at Ha Noi one PAX tried to get through security with a Swiss army knife. Bill went back, bought a bag and tape and checked it through - and that was on New Year’s Eve when the airport was jam-packed. He also gave us real personal insights with unplanned learning and discovery, such as stopping at a wedding coming home from the ruins at My Son.

The highlights
For us the cruise on Halong Bay and the visit to the Hang Sung Sot Cave which is spectacular, the visit to the Duc Son Orphanage in Hue which is supported by Grand Circle, the New Year's Eve party at the Camellia Hotel in Hue where we all donned Viet style hats - the best New Year's Eve party we have ever attended, the viewing of Ho Chi Minh's body in Ha Noi, The home hosted dinner in Dalat where we learned about the Cau Dai religion which encompasses all religions and the Cu Chi Tunes near Ho Chi Minh City.

Hotels
Our favorite was the Mercure Dalat – the most French of places with an old fashioned elevator that you might still find in the 6th arrondissement in Paris. The café opposite where you have breakfast “Café De La Poste’ is charming. We would have loved to stay an extra day in Dalat.

Eating out
If you don’t eat to take an optional trip or you are on your own for dining then you will find eating out is very cheap - a few dollars for a good meal.

The optional tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels was mind blowingly good and should not be missed. When you crawl through the tunnels you really get an idea of what it must have been like to be in the war – the horrors of it all.

Shopping
There are wonderful opportunities for shopping. The XQ hand embroidery workshop in Dalat produces embroidery of exquisite quality and at laughingly inexpensive prices. We bought a wonderful portrait of a grand mother looking at a son who was dead. Everyone we show it to gasps and says it is just like a photo. We also bought Tiger embroidery at the Humanity Center on the way to Halong Bay. We bought pearls on the junk - find out the prices ahead of time if you are in the market.

Massages
We went for massages any time we cold. The Viet style is midway between Thai and Swedish. They were very good, but Bangkok is still the best place in the world.

Adventure
Viet Nam has 26 million motorcycles. The greatest adventure you are likely to have is crossing the road in any major city – good luck

Traveler: Christopher from Rockport, MA traveled on December 25, 2009

We really enjoyed our trip to Vietnam. It was interesting to be able to see the places that were so prominent in the news forty and fifty years ago. We also enjoyed meeting the people.

Hoi An was especially nice. I was able to get a very nice suit there for a reasonable price.

Our trip to the beach near Nha Trang was great. We parasailed for the first time in our lives at age 59!

We had two Vietnam War vets in our group. We had home visits with a North Vietnam vet and with a South Vietnam vet, both of which were interesting and emotiuonal.

We enjoyed our free time, too. In Saigon, we spent a half day in the Chinese section of the city, and took a cyclo-rickshaw tour on our own. That was one of our best days. We also wandered around Hanoi on our own during some down time. I highly suggest these types of outings.

One of our favorite days was to the banana village near Dalat. I highly recommend that part of the trip.

The people in Vietnam were friendly without exception. We felt welcome everywhere.

The post trip extension to Cambodia was well worth it. We greatly enjoyed Ankgor Wat, but we also liked wandering around in Siem Reap.

Traveler: Richard from Olympia, WA traveled on October 13, 2009

I've been on 8 OAT trips now, and this one is definitely at the top of the list (along with Morocco :).

There are several reviews here that go into great detail about the trip, so rather than just repeat some of those comments, I thought I'd try to cover some areas that may not have been addressed previously.

The main trip to Vietnam, along with the two extensions to Thailand and Cambodia is a long trip. One day short of 4 weeks. An alternative you might consider, is doing the main trip to Vietnam with only the post-trip to Cambodia. The reason I'm suggesting this, is that you only get to see a small portion of Thailand around Bangkok, on the pre-trip, and there is a lot more to see in the northern part of Thailand that just can't be covered in the short time of the pre-trip. Consider doing the 'Discover Thailand' trip with the Burma (Myanmar) extension as separate trip.

When to go: The ideal time to do this trip appears to be in the months of December and January. The temperature and lack of rain make it much more comfortable than other months of the year. We got to Saigon in late December and were treated with beautiful lit decorations in the main area in front of the Opera House, and it is a fascinating sight to see thousands and thousands of the Saigon locals congregating on foot and motor scooters in the area. I have a sample video clip up at www.youtube.com*watch?v=9TG_EGjZUlg if you're interested. ** Everywhere that you see a web address in this review, you must replace the * with a slash. For some reason, the OAT website folks haven't figured out how to accept a slash in a review either in web addresses or dates **.

Excursions: In Thailand, there is an optional all-day excursion while at the River Camp on the Kwai (pronounced Kway in Thailand) River. It is primarily for the tourist, and includes an elephant ride, a rafting trip on the Kwai River, and a visit to a spa, where the highlight is a pool bearing a species of small Tilapia fish that nibble away dead skin cells from your feet and legs. See www.pbase.com*sgitlin*image*120633181. If you don't do the optional excursion, you will need a lot of reading material with you, as there is virtually nothing else to do at camp.

In Vietnam, the Cyclo-Rickshaw excursion through Hoi An is fun and worthwhile, and the Cu Chi Tunnels excursion that shows the tunnels used by the Viet Cong, should not be missed if at all possible. I can't comment on the two village excursions, as I decided to spend more time exploring Hanoi during the first excursion, and there were no takers for the second village excursion.

In Cambodia there is an excursion to the Banteay Srei temple of the vast Angkor Wat complex. OAT does this trip late in the afternoon when the crowds are much smaller, but on the negative side, the backdrop to the temple is a dark forest area, and the sun is setting behind both the temple and the forest. This makes for a fairly dark setting, and you don't really get to see the pink sandstone structures that you would see in the morning when the sun is shining directly on the entire area. For a few of us, this excursion did not live up to expectations.

Some miscellaneous things that may be helpful:

- Our trip leader was Tran, who was excellent. If you get Tran, when you get to Saigon, see if he can bring his daughter to meet the group. She is an absolutely beautiful and delightful girl and she accompanied us on the trip to the Mekong Delta.

- OAT mentions about a 15 lb. carry-on weight limit for flights. As far as we could see, the weight of carry-on luggage was never checked, either on the main to-from flights, or any of the internal ones. I probably couldn't even lift some of the baggage I saw being carried on the planes.

- OAT also recommends bringing a walking stick, primarily for the Angkor Wat part of the trip. Totally unnecessary, and could even be a hindrance when taking pictures.

- There are lots of ATMs all over Vietnam, but several of the banks will not accept cards using the Star network, at least that is our theory as to why our cards did not work. Two banks that did accept our cards were Agribank and Vietinbank. Most of our trip members had to dip into their ATM accounts somewhere along the trip, as money seemed to flow out very quickly.

- There is Wi-Fi almost everywhere in Vietnam, so if you have a PDA, phone or other instrument that connects you to the internet, bring it. Internet is available free at most of the hotels where we stayed, except for the one in Bangkok, Thailand, where there is a charge.

- Bring a swimsuit. In Nha Trang, you will spend time at a beautiful beach that is perfect for swimming, and eating lunch on the beach. See www.pbase.com*image*120663431

How others see us: At Dalat University, after a short orientation talk by a professor, each OAT traveler was escorted by one or more students for a tour of the campus. During our tour, one of the students asked what OAT stood for, and another answered 'Old American Travelers'. I understand he is now doing well after recovering from his pummeling by our canes, walkers, and wheelchairs :)

All in all, it was an excellent trip, with the highlights for me being Halong Bay, the beach at Nha Trang, the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Angkor Wat complex (especially Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm), and the floating villages of lake Tonle Sap. I highly recommend the trip to all OAT travelers.

I took over 2,400 pictures during the trip, and a subset of them can be seen at www.pbase.com*sgitlin*vietnam . Remember to replace any * with a slash in all web addresses.

Traveler: Stewart from Huntington Beach, CA traveled on November 28, 2009

This was our first OAT trip and certain not to be our last.

We started out uncertain of whether we would find our accommodations to be reasonable, and found, to our delight that all except one, our downtown-located hotel in Hanoi at the trip start, to be good to excellent.

Even for our Hanoi accommodation, its deficiencies of unusually super-hard and lumpy bed (think wood platform with ridges and knots) and insufficient hot water (not enough for 2 people to take short showers) were somewhat offset by its prime location relative to downtown's sights and restaurants and activities.

All other places were above our expectations. We especially liked the workout facility and lovely swimming pool at our Siem Reap hotel.

Beyond our highest expectation was the quality of our guides - especially our Vietnam guide, Nguyen Huu Quang. We've traveled extensively on guided overseas group trips, both large and small. Quang was far and beyond the best guide we've ever had. He was fun and funny, very well informed about all the places we went, food we ate, and peoples we visited.

His gentle control of our group was among the best we've seen - providing excellent guidance to enhance our individual as well as group visit. His sharing his own and his family's experiences during and following the Vietnam war were moving to all of us as well as much appreciated. His eagerness to share his love of his country with us added every day to our own appreciation of this beautiful part of the world..

The Vietnam portion of the trip was amazing. Packed full of things to see, do, eat and buy, we couldn't have asked for more. It is well worth it to take ALL the optional excursions, the highlight of which was our cyclocab and riverboat tour of Hoi An. Among the included excursions, we found our overnight visit and stay on a junk in Halong Bay to be a major highlight. The accommodations on the junk, while small, were more than adequate and comfortable and the food and staff were first class.

Our favorite places on the tour were Halong Bay, Hoi An, the Mekong Delta boat & islands tour, and the mountain city of Dalat. In Dalat, our walk through the University of Dalat's campus, each of us individually escorted by one or two English-speaking students, was the highlight of that portion of our trip.

We also thoroughly enjoyed our CambodiaSiem Reap extension, finding our new hotel (which opened 309) to be excellent once our guide spoke to the management about poor water pressure of the hot water supply. Following his input (we'd not asked him to call management on it, but he did on his own initiative), our showers the next two nights were not only abundant but lovely and hot. So we chalk up our first night's lack of any warm water to the staff's newness and the successful resolution of the problem, to the staff's willingness to "do what it takes" to make our stay comfortable.

Our Cambodian guide Chantra's insights into and knowledge of the history of his country and of the area were excellent. We also sincerely appreciated his sharing of his personal experiences during the genocidal wars.

Should anyone wish to know more about our experience on this trip, accommodations, the daily experiences, food, and guides, I am more than open to inquiries.

This was a trip and a set of guides that I'd recommend to anyone interested in exploring the lesser-traveled parts of our amazing world.

Traveler: Deb from Fort Collins, CO traveled on November 18, 2009

My trip to Vietnam in early October with my girlfriend, Trish Galione, marked my first experience with OAT. It surely will not be the last. A major selling point for us was the small group size (no more than 16 people) which allowed us to get to know our companions to a degree that a larger group wouldn't have permitted.

Our guide, Vu, was absolutely the best I have ever encountered. He was passionate about his mission, which was to lead us in the discovery of his homeland. He was knowledgeable and entertaining, and was never less than friendly and personable at every occasion. I still hear in my mind his, "xin chao everybody," as he welcomed us aboard the bus.

Vu was continually alert to possibilities that would enhance our experience with the Vietnamese culture. We visited Vietnam during its wedding season, so Vu stopped our bus in a small village while enroute to Halong Bay to allow us to crash a wedding reception in progress. The wedding party loved it as much as we did. What a priceless moment.

Vietnam is a beautiful country and one on the move. The energy that was apparent in the building projects we witnessed everywhere across the land was impressive. I can only imagine what the cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will look like in five years.

I found the people to be warm and welcoming, and outside of the War Museum in Saigon that dark period of their history wasn't an issue. More than half of the country's population wasn't even alive during what they call the American War. And they love the American dollar.

Bottom line: Inside Vietnam takes its place at the top of my most memorable trips list. And OAT takes its place at the top of my most memorable tour operators list.

Traveler: Don from Redwood City, CA traveled on October 05, 2009

The 15 days we spent in Vietnam was exciting, grueling, intense and very educational. Like any OAT adventure the tour leader has a major impact upon your experience. Our tour leader Nguyen Van Vu (Vu) was excellent. He had a command of his country's history and he had an easy and pleasant way of telling the story of the Vietnam people, their struggles over the past 40-50 years and efforts to improve their lives and their country.

The experience of trying to cross a street in Hanoi or Ho Chi Ming City was something we will remember for quite some time. Both major cities have over 4 million motorbikes and it seemed like there were hundreds at every intersection. Vu told us the way to cross the street was " slowly, slowly, slowly" and he was correct. Do not look at the motorbikes, walk slowly and they will avoid you. I was amazed that I never saw any "road rage" or even an accident.

We happened to be in the city of Nha Tran during a typhoon, the 11th storm to hit the country in 2009. Vu told us Vietnam experiences 12 storms each year. The waves at the Nha Tran beach were spectacular and the weather did not negatively impact our trip.

The time spent on Halong Bay was a highlight, the accommodations on the Junk were fine. The bus ride to Dalat was long ( 4+ hours) over very bad roads. But the city of Dalat was delightful.

We found the people of Vietnam to be pleasant but not especially friendly; particularity in Ho Chi Ming City. The memory of the "American war" is not that far removed from their lives.

The experience in Vietnam was one of the best trips we have taken with any travel company. It was demanding of us, early wake up calls, and it probably took us slightly out of our comfort zone. And that is a good thing, especially when you get home and reflect upon what you just accomplished half a world away.

Traveler: Jim & Jane from Wayne, PA traveled on October 17, 2009

One travels to Paris, Rome, and London to explore their history and museums and to enjoy their endless entertainment opportunities. One goes to Tahiti and the Beaches of Rio and Waikaki to relax. When one goes to Vietnam, one lives an adventure not to be found elsewhere in the world. Whether the visitor is dodging some of the 22 million motor bikes and scooters that crowd the streets and sidewalks of Hanoi and Saigon or is enjoying the the warm and welcoming persona of the Vietnamese people he will never find the experience dull.

The Inside Vietnam tour is an intense exposure to the people and history of a nation that has suffered under various occupiers and struggled to rise above their oppresve regimes. The secret to getting the most out of the tour is in the Program Director. Ours was great. Tran knows his country's history, it's peoples and their cultural and was able to impart this knowledge to us. Whether we were crashing a rural wedding party, helping a group of fishermen pull in their nets, or viewing displays from the "American" war in Saigon's Museum, Tran was there to explain the social moment or to help us put troubling exhibits in perspective.

We'll not soon forget Vietnam. It ranks among the best of our OAT and GCT trips, a true educational experience.

Traveler: Raymond from Novi, MI traveled on September 09, 2009

This has been my second trip to Vietnam with OAT and I highly recommend it to everyone. It is full of adventure, communication with friendly interesting people, wonderful scenery, a fascinating culture, and a wonderful guide. Most Americans conceept of a war torn country is obsolete and now it is colorful with lovely girls with flowing silk dresses and pyramid straw hots riding mopeds. It is also the second biggest exporter of coffe in the world. Please come see it.

Traveler: Mary H from Bradenton, FL traveled on May 12, 2009

My wife and I traveled to Vietnam recently. For her it was her first trip; for me it was my fourth, two during the war years and twice as a private citizen. I must admit that this tour was the most interesting and most fun.

To begin with we had a fantastic program director, Huu Nguyen Quang. His command of the English language was superior, and his knowledge of the history, customs and people of Vietnam was unmatched. He brought the entire history of the country alive--from its initial beginning to the present.

What most impressed me was how the country has grown and progressed since the War Years. It is a vibrant, thriving country that is working diligently to complete its transformation from a socialistic country to a capitalistic one.

The people of Vietnam are friendly and warm. The entire country from the age of 50 down speak excellent English, and they thrive on the U.S. dollar. Of the 5 trips we've taken between OAT and GCT, this was the best. Ong Quang is a true "Ambassador" and fantastic program director.

All of the arrangements and accommodations made by OAT were first class. They are the greatest.

Traveler: Richard from Ocean Pines, MD traveled on February 17, 2009

I recently travelled to Vietnam and did the pre trip extension to Thailand and the post trip to Cambodia. What a wonderful trip! This trip exposed me to an amazing culture that is going to be changing. 17 Days in Vietnam with a superior tour guide by the name of Vu. He was a kind and knowledgeable tour guide who has a gift of telling the history and culture of his country in story form. His English is perfect and he was such fun to be with. A great trip leader.

Traveler: Sally from Atlanta, GA traveled on January 25, 2009

The pre trip to Bangkok is good as you can get adusted to the time. The Hin Tok River Camp is a nice tented facility, with the ability to get a massage. It is isolated and in a small rural village that offers nothing. I would have preferred one more day in Bangkok and one less at the camp.
Free time here is not needed as there is nothing extra to do that is not covered. We did have one free evening for a meal on our own, but there was nothing around, so you have to eat at the camp. Meals there are adequate.
If like to be by yourself, this is fine. If you want options for didning or shopping, don't go.
Most meals on the main part of the trip are paid for and in most cities, there is an excellent choice of restaurants, as well as shopping for handicrafts and an excellent selection of tailors for shirts, suits or dresses.
The recomendations of our guide were all good.
When you are in the country and some cities, you will notice poverty and trash. Trash every where, even next to nice houses. This takes a bit of getting used to.
I felt the accomodations in the hotels were very good. All of our rooms were of good size, air condtioned (needed while we were there) and clean. Most were in a good location, with the exception of the Rama Gardens in Bangkok, which didn't seem to be close to anything but a shopping mall. If you are not taking the pre trip, this isn't a problem as you get in late and leave early.
You will see plenty of nice scenery and our guide made sure to make unscheduled stops if he saw anything interesting.
The Mekong Delta and Chu Chi tunnels were favorites of mine.
While we were warned by OAT literature about airlines and thier schedules, we were on time for all our flights and there were no problems with luggage or check in.
The post trip to Cambodia is a must. It made the whole trip for me. The temles at Ankor Wat and the village on Tonle Sop lake are most interesting and the Steung Siem Reap hotel was one of the best on the trip as far as location and services.
Every where we traveled, we were welcomed by the locals who have an easy smile. This is an area in the world where the dollar has buying power.
While I was not necessarily to high on the trip as a whole, I seemed to be the only one in my family group of four who felt that way.
As far as value, I thought it was excellent.
I have travleled with Grand Circle 4 times, while this was my first OAT trip.
Several people had traveled with OAT previously and were well satisfied. I will add my name to that list and would not hesistate to travel with them again as well as recommend them to my friends.

Traveler: John R from Buttonwillow, CA traveled on February 14, 2009

Xin chao! What a fantastic trip! So good, in fact, that we did it twice. Last year we were there for all the Tet festivities. This time we were a week after Tet and saw more of the routinedaily life.

Both Han and Quang, our OAT guides, were marvelous. We saw the tourist highlights but also got glimpses into the daily life. Those little stops to check out the coffee trees or the rice paddy or the herding and loading of market-bound pigs add so much.

And the food is great! Serving it family style works so well. And I agree w other reviewers re: the availability of bottled water to stay hydrated.

Good hotels, nice transportation, small groups of 16 -- I cannot brag enough about this travel experience. And I would be happen to answer questions and assist other travelers as they sign up for the experience and pack.

Traveler: Esther from Hubbard Lake, MI traveled on January 31, 2009

My tour to vietnam was so very interesting,
thanks to my tour leader "BO". Our first visit was Hanoi-the city of Motorcycles and Taxis. I saw families of four on the same cycles. I never knew of such poverty in Vietnam. We moved about the country in wooden boats , rickshaws, and rode an elephant.. We visited the Hanoi Hilton prison-went into the tunnels near Saigon.
It was certainly an adventure and learning experience. I'm so glad I was able to be part of this tour. I saw a beautiful country with very friendly people. I shall never forget what I saw nor the 13 other people on our tour. A great and unforgetable tour.

Traveler: June from Yakima, WA traveled on January 13, 2009