Travel Review: Tropical Vietnam & Thailand Trip, Da Nang, Golden Bridge, Hanoi Motorcycle Tour, Bangkok Sunset, the People & Food

Review by traveler

Ruth A.

3.16.2020

General Info

Traveler Review

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Thailand

Vietnam

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

The trip that my friend and I took with the assistance of was nothing short of spectacular! I could not have imagined a trip being any better than the experience we had. We spent time in Vietnam and Thailand through this travel partner, and the trip connected with travel plans we already had in place prior to learning of this option.
Originally, we had considered doing the trip ala carte ....just researching online and booking that way. Through more experienced world traveler friends, we became aware of some glitches that may arise that have potential of seriously impacting plan itineraries, etc. when one travels on their own. Inasmuch as finding points of interest, hotel accommodations and flights between one place to the next seemed easy enough, it was the little connections...the cabs, grab rides, and such that caused concern for us.
I learned about Zicasso online and decided to pursue that company as it has a 5-star rating. Through Zicasso, several Asian tour companies submitted their proposals. In our case, by the time we decided to shift how we would take this trip, we already had flight reservations from the US to our first destination and reservations/plans established for several days. We had an itinerary already created for ourselves with potential hotels and destinations, but, beyond our first several days in Singapore, we had no paid commitments. In communication with travel company, they had no problem with our situation...and could pick up from the point we needed and carry us through. I sent the itinerary I had created to the company, and the travel planner looked it over and expressed the ability to not only afford us the ability to follow the itinerary we had created, but additional points of interest to make our trip that much better. PERFECT!!
Both my friend and I remarked to each other several times throughout our adventure that the decision to contract with this travel company was the BEST decision we made! There is absolutely no way that we would've had NEAR the experience we had without the guides/drivers that were provided through this service. Each guide had fluency in our native language...each was well informed, very personable and attentive to our needs. They were punctual and kept our safety at the forefront.

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

We spent 10 days in various parts of Vietnam. Hands down, our most enjoyable portion of the trip was the time we spent in the area of DaNang. We were completely in awe of both the 'Old City' of Hoi An, and the boutique hotel in Da Nang and Golden Hands Bridge.
The hotel accommodations that the company secured for us in HoiAn was beyond wonderful. Situated right by the Old City, the hotel had a picturesque location on the river...flower garden surrounded us....outdoor dining. The PEOPLE! SO friendly and inviting ...The hotel hosted a nightly 'Happy Hour' of sorts...providing hotel guests with a variety of food tastes of local cuisines. The hotel also had an expansive pool with a bar in the middle of it. We used the pool several times in our relatively short stay in the area. After a day of exploration; a relaxing dip in the pool offered a perfect end treat.
I don't think there was anything/any place we DIDN'T enjoy. Each place and experience offered something different and a piece to learn. Saigon/ Can Tho...the big city...we not only had a pool atop the hotel where we were booked, we also visited the top floor of the Bitexco building and enjoyed a sunset/evening view from that vantage point of the city. Can Tho's floating market provided a markedly contrasting experience...each so enjoyable.
My friend and I both were hesitant about the company's scheduling us for a motorcycle tour in Hanoi. We were encouraged to 'try' and see...which we did. I can easy speak for both, my friend and I in saying that were are abundantly happy that we did that motorcycle tour/foodie tour. The ride showed us places we could NEVER have seen otherwise. Our guide introduced us to locals that he knew personally...and that personal interaction was so impactful for me.
We went to HaLong Bay aboard a Cruise for three days/2 nights. With so much of our trip being done at a brisk/longday pace, this trip gave us some time for relaxation and serenity. The food aboard this ship and the friendliness of the crew are also things that stand out to me. Oh...! We both had massages while on this ship....WORTH IT!!! (as a matter of fact, we had massages in EACH place we went! ...when else would one have such an opportunity to have such incredible massages at such an affordable price!)
In Thailand, we went to an elephant sanctuary. Again, the people at these sites are a big part what makes them so fantastic to experience. The elephant caretakers were friendly, encouraging and had great sense of humors. We were able to feed the elephants, and even got to SWIM with these giants, rubbing them down with mud and scrubbing them.
Again, in Thailand, we had the remarkable, contrasting experience in Bangkok of sitting outside atop the Hotel in Sathon District restaurant/bar and taking in a spectacular sunset overlooking all of Bangkok. What a TRIP!!
I can't think this travel company enough for their involvement in this vacation!

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

I would do research myself on the things I'd like to see...and then, I'd immediately reach out to connect with Zicasso and this travel company ....or in other areas, reach out to pertinent travel partners.
The ONLY thing that perhaps I would change about the trip we had is that with the pace being brisk in order to see so many things... there was one date that we had to be up at 5am in order to catch a flight to the next destination. Upon arrival and connection with our guide, we hit the ground running. We were on the go steadily until 5pm. We were dropped off at the hotel and had yet, another, guide scheduled that evening to take us on a tour that would last until, potentially 11:30pm. Sadly, we were exhausted ....and inasmuch as we would've loved to have participated....physically, we had 'hit a wall' and needed some downtime. We needed to be up again the next morning early...so we opted to cancel that one little segment in order to have a low-key dinner nearby and a relaxing swim before retiring for the evening. I think I was asleep by 9pm!

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Travel Review: Tropical Vietnam & Thailand Trip, Da Nang, Golden Bridge, Hanoi Motorcycle Tour, Bangkok Sunset, the People & Food

General Info

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

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