Here is our trip report from out ABD Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia trip.
On this trip were me, my wife, and my parents. The was our first ABD. My wife and I had done one Viking trip (China – also with my parents) two years ago. My parents have done a lot of Viking trips, but no ABDs.
I was the one that picked this trip – I have wanted to see Vietnam for a long time. I looked at a bunch of different operators and settled on ABD. I really don’t even remember exactly why I chose ABD. The main thing I wanted to do in Vietnam was Ha Long Bay, and ABD doesn’t even do that! I also wanted to see Hue – another place ABD doesn’t go. But I think I was happy with everything else ABD was doing – including Laos and Angkor, so I chose that one.
We talked about doing some post trip days in Thailand, but I finally decided that I needed to see Ha Long Bay or I would regret it. Then I learned about Ninh Binh and couldn’t decide between the two, so we added days for both. I am so glad we did – they both stand out as one of my favorite things we did all trip.
Pre-Trip Day 1 (7/3) –
The original plan was to stay one night in Hanoi before an early morning departure to do a Ha Long Bay cruise with Indochina Junk Junk. They were to pick us up early that next morning (7/4), take us to the cruise, then after the cruise take us to Ninh Binh for a late arrival there. The following day we’d tour Ninh Binh (using Tommy’s Service), stay another night, then have Tommy transfer us back to the La Siesta Trendy in Hanoi. We’d have an afternoon in Hanoi, stay the night at the La Siesta, then fly out early the next morning.
My wife and I had a connection in Tokyo and my parents had the same connection there, so we met them in the airport there.
We arrived in Hanoi around 10PM and had arranged a shuttle to the La Siesta Trendy hotel. It was a nice boutique hotel with amazing staff. While checking in, they told me that they got a message from the cruise company we were using for a Ha Long Bay cruise the following day.
Well, the message from Indochina Junk was that, due to a typhoon, all cruises were cancelled on 7/4. The desk staff told me to check my email for additional details. Once we got the WiFi password I checked and Indochina Junk said the cruise was cancelled, but they would be happy to reschedule us for the 5th. The 5th was our day to be in Ninh Binh, so that wasn’t ideal. Our first thought was to just cancel Ha Long and work with the hotel (or Tommy) to help us transfer to Ninh Binh to keep that part of the trip.
We made it to our rooms. We had booked the smaller, interior rooms. We figured we’d only be in the rooms for a few hours, so a window wasn’t necessary. The hotel upgraded both rooms to larger rooms with windows. The rooms were small, but still plenty of room for two people. The staff was so friendly!
On this trip were me, my wife, and my parents. The was our first ABD. My wife and I had done one Viking trip (China – also with my parents) two years ago. My parents have done a lot of Viking trips, but no ABDs.
I was the one that picked this trip – I have wanted to see Vietnam for a long time. I looked at a bunch of different operators and settled on ABD. I really don’t even remember exactly why I chose ABD. The main thing I wanted to do in Vietnam was Ha Long Bay, and ABD doesn’t even do that! I also wanted to see Hue – another place ABD doesn’t go. But I think I was happy with everything else ABD was doing – including Laos and Angkor, so I chose that one.
We talked about doing some post trip days in Thailand, but I finally decided that I needed to see Ha Long Bay or I would regret it. Then I learned about Ninh Binh and couldn’t decide between the two, so we added days for both. I am so glad we did – they both stand out as one of my favorite things we did all trip.
Pre-Trip Day 1 (7/3) –
The original plan was to stay one night in Hanoi before an early morning departure to do a Ha Long Bay cruise with Indochina Junk Junk. They were to pick us up early that next morning (7/4), take us to the cruise, then after the cruise take us to Ninh Binh for a late arrival there. The following day we’d tour Ninh Binh (using Tommy’s Service), stay another night, then have Tommy transfer us back to the La Siesta Trendy in Hanoi. We’d have an afternoon in Hanoi, stay the night at the La Siesta, then fly out early the next morning.
My wife and I had a connection in Tokyo and my parents had the same connection there, so we met them in the airport there.
We arrived in Hanoi around 10PM and had arranged a shuttle to the La Siesta Trendy hotel. It was a nice boutique hotel with amazing staff. While checking in, they told me that they got a message from the cruise company we were using for a Ha Long Bay cruise the following day.
Well, the message from Indochina Junk was that, due to a typhoon, all cruises were cancelled on 7/4. The desk staff told me to check my email for additional details. Once we got the WiFi password I checked and Indochina Junk said the cruise was cancelled, but they would be happy to reschedule us for the 5th. The 5th was our day to be in Ninh Binh, so that wasn’t ideal. Our first thought was to just cancel Ha Long and work with the hotel (or Tommy) to help us transfer to Ninh Binh to keep that part of the trip.
We made it to our rooms. We had booked the smaller, interior rooms. We figured we’d only be in the rooms for a few hours, so a window wasn’t necessary. The hotel upgraded both rooms to larger rooms with windows. The rooms were small, but still plenty of room for two people. The staff was so friendly!