An Insider's Guide to Vietnam

Vietnam has always been on my travel wish list. Having travelled to Thailand when I was younger, many of the backpackers I’d met had also ventured across the borders into Cambodia and Vietnam, and only had amazing things to say. So when the opportunity knocked to go on an educational trip in October, I jumped at the chance. 

Educational are a definite perk of working in travel – it’s where staff members can experience an itinerary that we sell to understand it better for our customers and make suggestions for improvements based on first-hand knowledge. This trip was a little different, as instead of doing just one itinerary, we melded the best of both of our Vietnam holidays into one!

Ho Chi Minh

We visited Ho Chi Minh – previously known as Saigon, a name which the locals still use to this day - as well as the Cu Chi Tunnels, which are both on our Vietnam and Cambodia tour. These spots are amazing – yet harrowing – for anybody with an interest in history, particularly the American occupation during the Vietnam War. Ho Chi Minh has numerous famous buildings and sites, that many will recognise from iconic wartime images, such as Hubert Van Es’ ‘Fall of Saigon’ image, which depicts people scrambling to board the last helicopter out of Ho Chi Minh before it fell to the North. There are also old CIA buildings, Ho Chi Minh square, Independence Palace, and what’s arguably the best post office in the world. 

Cu Chi Tunnels

The Cu Chi Tunnels take it another step further. About an hour’s drive out of the city (traffic depending, you’ll not believe the number of scooters on the roads!) you reach these tunnels, which have been preserved by the Vietnam government. This complex network of underground tunnels is where the Viet Cong soldiers – resisting American forces – lived for 20 years. Some of the tunnels have been widened for tourists to visit, but even these are still very snug! So it’s a real insight into the conditions and resilience of the soldiers during this time. You learn about the traps that were set, the logistics of life in the tunnels, the clever method of ensuring fresh air circulates into the tunnels (spoiler, channels for air flow are disguised in termite mounds!) and even how they cooked.  

Highlights

There are too many highlights to choose just one. I really loved learning about the history and culture of the country. Vietnam has had a turbulent history with multiple wars and occupations, so it has influences from across the globe. In Hue – the ancient capital, that sits on the central coast of the country – there are huge mausoleums built for Vietnamese kings which cover acres and acres of land, with buildings that are reminiscent of China’s Forbidden Place, while in Hanoi city – in the north - you can see pastel-coloured French-colonial buildings alongside narrow streets with traditional lanterns strung overhead. We also had two boat trips that I loved – one was in Ha Long Bay, which is just incredibly beautiful. The other was on a sampan boat in Ninh Binh, where a man rowed us with his feet us along the river through caves and stunning landscapes. 

Furama Hotel Resort

A highlight was definitely Furama, a super luxurious resort with private beach in Da Nang where our customers go at the end of our Vietnam and Ha Long Bay Cruise with Da Nang Beach Stay. The tour is jam packed with amazing experiences and a stay here for four nights is the perfect antidote to relax after adventuring! 

Vietnam is amazing and I’m sure full of intrigue for anybody who visits, but I have to say that our local guides really brought each destination to life with their insights and knowledge – they seemed to be able to answer every single question we had, and with genuine enthusiasm! They gave us tips and tricks of what to do, see and eat in our spare time, and couldn’t have been any better looking after us.

How about checking out our full list of Vietnam tours?