Contiki Vietnam Experience Review

Amanda Kerr lives in Brisbane, and chose to travel with Contiki for her first trip to Asia. Here, she takes us though her Vietnam Experience and what to expect on the 12-day journey through South East Asia.

Our Contiki trip through Vietnam was such an eye opener, and so different to any other tour I had previously been on. My boyfriend and I went on the Vietnam Experience tour from 4 –15 November 2014. I think there were about 24 of us in total when the Vietnam Highlights group joined us on day three back in Saigon. Everyone clicked really well, and the homestay in the Mekong Delta really helped us bond quickly and brought our group together. Definitely worth the extra money to add those two days to your Vietnam trip!

Our tour was a special one, as two girls from The Bachelor Australia were on our tour, along with writers, bloggers, and two big bosses from Contiki to manage them along the way. It was a unique experience having this on our tour (both good and bad points!), but made for some very memorable moments! The Contiki boss, Katrina, was super lovely and amazing – so glad she came along for the ride! Our tour manager, James, was really helpful and definitely knew his stuff, powering on even when he felt sick, and was kind enough to give those of us travelling on afterwards many tips on where to go and what to see in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand as well!

Crossing the road in Saigon is an experience you will never forget; you will never again see so many scooters in your life! The markets throughout Vietnam were awesome for picking up a bargain (Hoi An probably had the best shopping), just keep in mind that Asian sizes are much smaller than Western sizes! Our accommodation was of good quality at each of our destinations (though a little more basic at our Mekong Delta homestay). We were treated to so much delicious food over the 12 days that we were spoilt for choice; so many yummy soups, spring rolls, savoury pancakes and fresh seafood!

Nha Trang was one of our favourite spots; we easily could have stayed there longer! Gorgeous beaches, the mud baths were great, the snorkelling trip was amazing and dinner at The Sailing Club was one of the best meals of my life! The passionfruit mojito was the best drink I’ve ever tasted and the mushroom gnocchi was to die for!

Hoi An is World Heritage listed and I already can’t wait to go back and visit it again one day. I had so much fun riding bikes around the old town, exploring the markets and lounging by the pool and visiting the hotel’s spa. We all got suits or dresses made there at Yali, but I’d strongly recommend having pictures of what you want with you on your phone before visiting, so you can be really clear and specific with them on what you want, to save time and confusion.

By the time we reached Hue we were getting pretty tired, but the Perfume River showed us an amazing sunset and the nightlife there is pretty fun! When we reached Hanoi we were all exhausted and couldn’t wait to sleep! It was probably our least favourite destination in Vietnam; the weather was cooler here and overcast, and the city felt like many others in Asia. We also didn’t do as much together as a group here.

Halong Bay was stunning, although the water was a little cooler this time of year (but not so cold you couldn’t swim or kayak). Was amazing to see monkeys close up in the wild on the islands and the scenery was stunning – the pirate party on the junk boat was pretty incredible too!

I’d recommend staying an extra night in Hanoi once your tour ends, as you’re bound to make new friends who you’d like to spend more time with! Our group was a mix of (mostly) Aussies, Canadians, South Africans, Brits, a Kiwi and an American. The average age of the group was mid-to-late 20s, which was perfect (no 18-year-olds getting crazy silly, or old nanas holding us back), and was of a slower pace and a bit more luxurious than European Contiki tours.

I’d definitely recommend an Asian Contiki tour – your money goes so much further in South East Asia and for people like us who had never been to Asia before, it was a great introduction to the culture, and gave us the confidence and knowledge to then travel on in the region by ourselves. I had a blast, and so did my boyfriend (who was initially quite reluctant to do a Contiki tour, but was definitely surprised!). Save your dollars and give it a go – you’ll have an amazing time guaranteed!

By Amanda Kerr

Have your own Asian adventure with the Contiki Vietnam Experience. Just visit www.contiki.com or ring 1300 188 635.