Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
After cycling through several hair-pin curves for close to an hour, you reach the crest of the Hai Van Pass. Great views and a great sense of achievement.
The sleeper train from Hoi Han to Hanoi was also an experience.
Halong Bay was just amazing, jaw dropping scenery and we stayed on a great boat.
What did you think of your group leader?
Danh was fantastic, he was so full of knowledge and was extremely helpful, & took us to some lovely places to eat.
Still digesting the whole experience. Sights, sounds. tastes, new peronal best with cycling distance and height climbed. Warmth of the Vietnamese people especially in the south.Touched by the kindness and support from the stronger cyclists to the weaker cyclists in our group.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Completing the 10km climb with the support, encouragement and a little help from my new found friends. Cycling down was awesome, as was the 30km down hill too a few days earlier. The views were amazing.
My cheeks aching with laughter on the 8 hour train journey to Hanoi.
Relaxing at Halong bay a lovely end to the trip.
What did you think of your group leader?
Commited, informative, proffesional, fun, interesting, his recommendations re restaurants were 5* and meeting his family and having lunch was an extra bonus.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take old tshirts socks etc and discard at the end of the trip Deet ruins clothes and whites become anything but. Also old towel to discard and give you extra room for souvenirs.
Get training as the terrain is 'undulating' and in the heat humidity the more training the better.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The trip was well organised and fast paced I personally would have like more time to explore some of the citys we visited but would have needed to add on another week at least.
The support team did their job well and we could not have covered the miles in the time if not for them to direct, fix, keep our water bottles filled and providing sustenance at the pit stops.
Knowing what I know now would i do it again? Definetely its opened my mind to all sorts of possibilities.
US dollars widely accepted get ready to haggle! Cash points for dong in most places.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The reaction of the Vietnames as we cycled through there country, lots of high fives and smiles as we went through some amazing scenery and vibrant villages. The villagers made us all feel welcome and very special.
What did you think of your group leader?
Chi was great, kept us on an even keel and enhansed our trip and always with a smile.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you do a little cycle fitness training the cycling will be no problem. Don't be put off by the traveling times on the bus as at the beginning of the day an hour to digest breakfast is good and after a days cycling in the heat most of us were asleep for the late afternoon transfer.
We cycled as individuals but the stronger cyclists helped the others, remember its a holiday not a race so enjoy the country and the people.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Vietnam is a beautiful and vibrant country, the food, scenery and people are superb. Go there and enjoy.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Whilst the cycling was fantastic, my favourite day of the trip was actually our last day of cycling in Hue when we only had to do ~20 km. Of course we did the touristy sights and the old city is fasincating but then our leader, Long took us off road to see his home town. Long and his family showed us a huge amount of hospitality and it was a real eye opener to Vietnamese culture and food!
What did you think of your group leader?
Our leader Long, was amazing. He always went out of his way to show us the real Vietnam and because of this, I experienced a lot more than I ever would have if I had been travelling on my own. The support crew were also brilliant and very encouraging on the tough parts of the cycle.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
The bikes are brand new and have front suspension, but I am extremely thankful that I took my own saddle with me.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I added on a couple of days before the start of the trip in Saigon and another day at the end in Hanoi. I would recommend this as it gave me slightly longer to acclimatize as well as explore these cities a little more (as there is not much time in the itinerary).
A totally inspiring trip. The route and itinerary have been well researched and provide a cycling, sightseeing, boating, driving etc holiday while experiencing the real Vietnam
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
So many!
Gliding down through the vast national park from Delat.
Cycling up the Hi Van pass and finally reaching the top
What did you think of your group leader?
Lam was the best leader we could have had.
Ever patient, encouraging,informative and with a pride in his Homeland. Also with a great sense of humour.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Go for it. Do try and get a little fitter before you go as it will make it easier in the heat.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The food was very good through out the trip. Drinking water was provided by the team and fresh lemonade at every drink stop ( about 20 k)
You really do not need to worry about anything , just enjoy.
Fabulous hokiday, cycling was great and a perfect way to see any country, but there were also the people, the cities, the history & of course the food. There is a lot of time spent transferring by coach and I was quite concerned by this before we travelled, but it is worth it to have so many wonderful, varied experiences.Our guides were excellent and the support staff made us very welcome. The cycling is not too challenging in itself, but the heat/humidity do make it seem harder, especially on the climbs, however the van is there to give you a lift if you need it!
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
I think everyone must rave about Halong Bay, absolutely stunning, and don't miss the sea kayaks.
The children were a constant source of entertainment, but watch out for the occassional over-energetic high 5!
For me the best scenery when cycling was from Nha Trang to Quy Nhon, couldn't take enough pictures, but there were numerous other highlights as well.
What did you think of your group leader?
We had 2 leaders due to an unfortunate bereavement for Lam after 1 week. Lam was a total joy to be around with the most infectious smile. Linh was a great guide, telling us lots about the history of the country and worked hard to ensure we were getting the most out of our trip.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
The bikes are good and pretty comfy, but I did wish that I'd taken a gel seat cover with me.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This was our first trip with exodus and like so many before us, it will not be our last
Helen Smith
CYCLING VIETNAM
Written
A great mix of cycling, culture, tourist sights, countryside and a post-cycle chill out in Ha Long Bay. My first cycling trip, but it won't be my last. I did find the heat and humidity a bit too much, but the support crew looked after us all really well. Fantastic trip and a great introduction to a cycling holiday.
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
We experienced such a variety of scenery I can't choose one particular bit. Starting out with the chaos of Ho Chi Minh City, the cycle to the Cu Chi Tunnels, the 30km descent through the national park. I felt a massive sense of achievement in cycling up the Hai Van Pass. Experiencing the 1st Class carriage on the overnight train to Hanoi is not to be missed, and the beauty of Ha Long Bay and kayaking amongst the limestone islands was the perfect end to the trip. But I can't not mention the rest of the group - they were all fantastic, and without them it wouldn't have been half the trip that it turned into.
What did you think of your group leader?
Lam was fantastic. He helped me out a lot when I was struggling in the heat/humidity. He was constantly laughing and smiling with us all and making sure that we were all OK. He made sure that we didn't leave anything behind as we packed up each morning, and that we were all well fed and watered at the rest stops. He gave us advice about the terrain we were due to cycle on and stopped us at the side of the road to explain the sights. He was very knowledgeable about the history of his country, and shared this information whenever he could. He recommended some truly fantastic places to eat in the evenings. I didn't really have to think about anything other than the cycling - Lam sorted everything else out, and went far beyond what I expected from a leader.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
The heat and humidity makes it more difficult than cycling in Scotland - and the rain is 10 times worse.
Travel light, because you have to carry your own bag when getting to/from the overnight train. There's a couple of places to get laundry done, so you don't need too many clothes. When cycling you hardly need to carry anything - camera, sunscreen and water and that's about it.
Bring a head-torch for the Cu Chi Tunnels - it's very dark down there.
Most importantly - bring your sense of adventure and be prepared to just "go with the flow".
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Bring a Herocam and film portions of the trip - photos just don't do justice to some of the sights and sounds, and it's great to be able to capture them on film. All the hotels have facilities for charging batteries so go mad with the cameras.
I wish I'd practiced snorkelling before I'd gone - inhaling half the South China Sea whilst trying to position the breathing tube is not something I'd recommend ;-)
from 73 reviews.
