A wonderful trip to 2 beautiful countries. In Vietnam, we visited Hanoi, Sapa, Nha Trang & Ho Chi Minh City. In Cambodia, Siem Reap/Angkor Wat. Excellent travel arranged by Mr. Pham Ha at www.luxurytravelvietnam.com - highly recommended!
“A journey of 1000 miles must begin with a single step.”
With these words by Vietnamese philosopher Lao Tzu to inspire us, we made that step towards our dream trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. As seasoned world travelers, always looking for our next adventure, we had long heard of the beauty of Vietnam and the wonders of Angkor Wat. Why had it taken us so long to plan a trip to Indochina? It was time to change that!
As self-proclaimed “Travel Diva's” we love to discover wonderful places that aren't overrun with tourists, but offer adventure and luxury combined. We've used many of the very best travel companies in the USA. However, when possible, we prefer to find travel companies that are based in the countries we are visiting – for those are the true experts on their country and culture.
One of our greatest discoveries on this journey began while researching it on the Internet. We came across 3 words that perfectly described what we wanted: Luxury Travel Vietnam . The website for this travel company, owned and operated by Vietnamese, seemed to offer every element we desired: The luxurious, adventurous, unique and wonderful. Seconds later we had emailed Managing Director Pham Ha and by the very next day he was planning a private, custom itinerary designed to fulfill our every dream. Before we knew it we were leaving our homes in the USA and heading for Vietnam.
Our first stop was Hanoi. We were instantly taken in by the charm of Hanoi. Our days were spent strolling through the old town section, discovering delightful little shops and warm, friendly people. Hanoi was an explosion of colors and beauty. From the moment we stepped off the airplane, we were in the excellent hands of our Luxury Travel Vietnam driver & guide. Their mission seemed to be ensuring we had the trip of a lifetime. Hanoi was an excellent start for exploring Vietnamese culture: The delights of the water puppet theatre. Delicious meals that make our mouths water still today. Somber visits to Hoa Loa (“Hanoi Hilton”) prison and the tomb of Ho Chi Minh. We walked or took cyclo's all over the city and when we were tired, we made another great discovery: the excellent Vietnamese spa's offering fabulous massage and spa services.
Too soon our guide Duc was gathering us up for our overnight journey on the Victoria train to the mountains of Sapa. We were thrilled to learn Duc would be going along with us to be our guide on our next stop as well. The Victoria train was clean and comfortable and we slept well as we rumbled along the tracks into the mountains bordering China. We awoke to the exquisite beauty of Sapa. The fog-draped mountains were stunning. The terraced rice fields being tended by farmers and water buffalo were living photographs. To enter the world of Sapa is to enter a different world entirely. It was sheer joy to stroll through villages, meeting the friendly people, all so beautiful in their ethnic costumes. Children tagged along, eager to practice their English and even more pleased to teach us some words in their language; women invited us into their homes and offered us warm hospitality. Of course, the Victoria Lodge, where Luxury Travel Vietnam had booked us in suites, was another perfect spot. The rooms were spacious and lovely with a balcony to enjoy the never-ending view. (And we can't forget to mention…more great spa services!) While we would have been happy to stay there for days…we were soon heading for our next stop: Nha Trang. We were about to discover if the beaches of Vietnam really were as beautiful as we'd always heard. If anything…they were better!
This was a stop designed strictly for pampering, rest and relaxation. For that, we couldn't have found a more perfect spot than Evason Hideaway at Ana Mandara. Upon arrival in Nha Trang, we took a refreshing boat ride to Evason's beautiful secluded beach and peninsula, only accessible via the sea. Our relaxation started immediately as we were taken directly to our villa. No worries about check-in details, as that would be taken care of by our personal butler Long. His job was to take care of us…and only us…for our entire stay (and he did an excellent job at that!).
Luxury Travel Vietnam had arranged for us to be in the Presidential Villa, which was indeed fit for a President! Docking at our private villa complex, painstakingly built over huge boulders on the sea, we found 2 villas complete with bedroom/bath; a covered, open-air pavilion for dining; a private swimming pool and covered open-air massage tables with a fantastic view out to the sea. Our goal was to completely relax and we had no trouble accomplishing that at Evason Hideaway. Every morning, we'd slide into the crystal clear water to snorkel with an array of colored fish before the boat arrived to whisk us to breakfast. While the resort offered a wide variety of daytrips/activities, we were content to enjoy our beach, villa, pool and massage tables. The spa services, as in every earlier stop, were excellent; the surroundings beautiful and quiet; the staff absolutely delightful and eager to grant our every wish. Way too quickly our 4-night stay was over and we were sailing away watching the smiling Evason staff waving goodbye from the dock.
Refreshed and renewed, it was on to Ho Chi Minh City where another great driver and guide were waiting for us at the airport. Our driver expertly navigated through the buzz of motorbikes and delivered us to our large and lovely 2-bedroom suite in yet another fabulous hotel, The Caravelle. HCMC is a vibrant, modern city offering great shopping, too many wonderful restaurants to choose from and an array of activities. Shifting immediately into “Shop ‘til you Drop” mode, we filled our ever-expanding suitcases with many purchases. We did stop shopping long enough to take a daytrip into the Mekong Delta. Our trusty guide Luc made a detour along the way at a snake farm and went above & beyond the call of duty to hold the huge python for our pictures. Gliding through the silent waterways of the Delta in a dugout canoe was worlds away from the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan Ho Chi Minh City…but we loved every minute of both worlds. As we made our way to the airport to reluctantly say goodbye to Vietnam, our new friend - Luxury Travel Vietnam's Assistant Operations Manager Mr. Hoang - came along to personally bid us farewell.
Then we were off to our final stop: Siem Reap, Cambodia. As we had quickly come to expect, we were promptly greeted upon arrival by yet another excellent guide and driver (either every person in Vietnam & Cambodia is wonderful or Luxury Travel Vietnam has selected some of the best people to represent their countries. We were continually delighted with the people assigned to take care of us). Since our arrival was in the evening, we were taken directly to the luxurious Hotel de la Paix – a delightful oasis in the heart of Siem Reap. Instantly greeted with a cold towel and cold drink, we were escorted to our spacious loft-style spa suites. The rooms were so comfortable we could easily have never left, except we were too excited to see the wonders of Angkor. Luxury Travel Vietnam had once again arranged a perfect itinerary designed to fit our desire to maximize every minute. Pictures of Angkor Wat are awesome, but it pales in comparison to the thrill of entering the grounds and beholding the sight of it all with your own eyes. Touching the walls, climbing the stairs, taking in the soul of such a world wonder is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. We visited as many temples as possible, each one a wonder of its own. We thoroughly enjoyed a boat trip on Tonle Sap Lake to visit the houseboats and deliver toys to the giggling children on board. Once again, our excellent guides also made sure we visited the best artisan workshops where we purchased high quality, handmade goods at unbelievably fair prices.
At the last minute, we also decided we couldn't leave Cambodia without the experience of seeing Angkor Wat from a helicopter. Of course, that was no problem for our guide Sophea, who immediately made arrangements for us. Our final surprise was to take Sophea with us on the helicopter ride and treat him to his first flight ever over the Angkor temples. The memory of his smile throughout the ride is as vivid as the amazing views of the temples from the air. To have shared that moment with him is one of our favorite memories.
Alas, our fantastic journey had come to an end. Today, when we think of Vietnam and Cambodia, memories come flooding back of all the warm, friendly people we met; the hotels that rivaled the best in the world; some of the most fabulous food we'd ever tasted (not one bad meal in the entire trip!); amazing sites and beautiful scenery. Our journey had all the elements we desired - from adventure to luxury, seclusion to cities. Every stop was perfect. Our only complaint was that we couldn't stay longer and see more, but that simply means we have to return.
As an ancient Vietnamese proverb says: “Venture all, see what fate brings.”
We say to all our fellow travelers of the world: You couldn't pick a better place to venture to than Vietnam and Cambodia to fulfill every kind of travel experience.
Pham Ha of Luxury Travel Vietnam told us to describe our dream trip and he would make it happen. He was a man of his word.
Pamela Solvang
Pat Gavin
Nanci Chazen
USA
Click here to view wonderful pictures of Mrs. Pamela Solvang.
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