Our trip to Vietnam and Cambodia was awesome!...
Vietnam | Jan 13 - Jan 26, 2025

David
David S.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Feb 03, 2025

Our trip to Vietnam and Cambodia was awesome! We used Realistic Asia (Hien). She helped us customize the tour around our needs. We typically travel on our own, but having Hien guide us saved a lot time that would be spent on research. A real plus was her knowledge of hotels, guides, and drivers to make our trip efficient. Guides: Jimmy (Hanoi), Loi (Halong Bay), Ben(Hue), Hi Hai (Hoi An), , Vincent and Thing (Ho Chi Minh), Serat (Siem Reap), Sopheak (Phnom Penh), All of our guides were very knowledgeable and kept us on schedule, even when we went later than planned, to see everything. The only glitch was two separate Vietjet Airline delays that prevented us from maximizing self guided time on two days of our 14 day trip. We would recommend Vietnam Airlines for better comfort and timeliness. We learned that two days per stop was not enough time for us. And would have helped with flight delays. Overall the trip was a success and we would highly recommend working with Hien at Realistic Asia.

Hotel Reviews
Hanoi Nostalgia Hotel & Spa
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Verdure Lotus Cruises
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Loi was great and the staff was very helpful!
Cleanliness & Comfort
They gave us a suite at the front which was awesome. The bed was uncomfortable, a little firm with a slight bump on one side.
Cherish Hue
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Larry who manages the breakfast was awesome! Always greeted us, got us coffee and hot water, very friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Charm Hoi An Hotel & Spa
Hoi An

Breakfast was the best of our tour. Lots of options on the buffet.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Queen Ann Hotel Saigon

The room was small, but comfortable. There was some noise from the street as Hanoi is bustling early and late

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Small room, bed is firm as are most beds that we’ve had in Southeast Asia.
HARI Residence & Spa
Svay Dangkum Commune, Siem Reap

The rooftop bar and restaurant is a plus. Breakfast buffet was very good. Fairly close to Siem Reap and Tonle Sap lake.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to Pub Street, but our room was quiet
Staff
The staff was very helpful and friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mettavary Hotel
Phnom Penh

Very helpful staff. They only have one coffee machine at the breakfast buffet that makes both regular coffee and espresso. There was always a long line in the morning. It was frustrating. They need to make coffee in the kitchen and have two pots out to pour from given the number of people at the hotel. The buffet space is small. We had massages at the spa which were good. Rooftop bar is a plus, not crowded. They didn’t have mint for a Mojito and the margarita was served up, not on ice, not a big deal, but a must for these popular drinks and hot weather.

Authenticity & Character
Location
The hotel is basically at Bassac street if you want some fun nightlife and food.
Staff
Very helpful and friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Hanoi Street food walking tour (S)
Hanoi Street food walking tour (S)
Hanoi
Quality of Experience
Food
Jimmy knew the best places and included vegetarian options.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hanoi Half Day City Tour & Train Street
Hanoi Half Day City Tour & Train Street
Hanoi

Jimmy was great! Very good knowledge of the area and history.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hanoi - Lan Ha Bay - Onboarding Verdure Lotus  Cruise
Hanoi - Lan Ha Bay - Onboarding Verdure Lotus Cruise
Ha Long Bay

This overnight trip was fun. Great cooking class and excursions to the caves and kayaking. Loi, the cruise director is fabulous.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Exploring Dark and Light Cave - Disembarking Verdure Lotus cruise
Exploring Dark and Light Cave - Disembarking Verdure Lotus cruise
Ha Long Bay

This was fun and very photo worthy. Tipping the row boat guide at the caves, while not required, is expected if you have a fun and helpful guide. Ours took lots of photos on everyone’s camera and was fun.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Deluxe Hue Sightseeing Full Day Tour - Join tour
Deluxe Hue Sightseeing Full Day Tour - Join tour
Hue

This was a fun tour and our guide was very knowledgeable. The lunch at the garden restaurant was delicious and fun.

Quality of Experience
Food
The lunch at the garden restaurant was delicious and fun.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hoi An Local Market, Basket Boat, Fishing & Cooking Experience
Hoi An Local Market, Basket Boat, Fishing & Cooking Experience
Hoi An

This was fun. Good mix of local food market shopping and tasting unusual vegetables and herbs.

Quality of Experience
Food
Great cooking class!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Hi Hai was fun and very helpful as our guide and the chef of our cooking class.
Transport
Phnom Penh City Full Day
Phnom Penh City Full Day
Phnom Penh
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Mekong Delta Group Tour (My Tho - Ben Tre) (updated)
Mekong Delta Group Tour (My Tho - Ben Tre) (updated)
Ho Chi Minh City

It was interesting to understand the Mekong river culture and sample food. The lunch was good too, a lot of food. We wanted more time at the temple at the end of the tour.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels
Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels
Ho Chi Minh City

Interesting historical perspective of how the Viet Cong survived to win, if you want to know more history of the American/Vietnam war. Somber for both sides. A lot of people come to see this.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very knowledgeable guide of the tunnels and Vietnam.
Transport
Full day Angkor sightseeing and Ta Prohm temple
Full day Angkor sightseeing and Ta Prohm temple
Siem Reap

This is a must see tour, phenomenal. We took over 100 pics.

Quality of Experience
Food
We had local Cambodian food for lunch in an airconditioned restaurant, which was a good mid-day break.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Serat was exceptional!
Transport
Prost? Our driver was very good!
Visiting the Floating Villages on Tonle Sap Lake
Visiting the Floating Villages on Tonle Sap Lake
Siem Reap

This was interesting.

Quality of Experience
There’s just not a lot to see, but it’s interesting to learn how the culture lives on the lake.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Hien Do