We are delighted to let you know about a number of excursions that we can offer which will not only save you up to 50% off the local ticket prices, but save you valuable time during your stay.
You can call us free of charge on 01737 646416 to book any of these trips & tours.
Ho Chi Minh
Deluxe Mekong Delta Cruise, £109 per person - Explore the magnificent Mekong Delta and get an insight into rural life as your converted deluxe rice barge transports you along this historic waterway.
Travel by road from Ho Chi Minh City to embark a local boat at Ben Tre. This less-visited area of the Mekong is home to luxuriant vegetation and lush coconut islands as well as orchards and rice paddies. Visit a local coconut processing enterprise where this vital fruit is treated in the age-old way to separate oil, flesh and husk to be used variously in coconut oil, coconut matting and coconut candy.
After a further short journey by local boat through the winding arroyos of the Mekong River, take a short walking tour in the relaxing creekside setting of a local village and see traditional mat weaving by hand in a friendly local farmer’s house. Then drive through the beautiful rice paddies of the Mekong countryside to a local pagoda and learn about the role of traditional communal temples in Vietnamese village culture.
Embark Le Jarai and continue the Mekong cruise in the shadow of water-coconut palms.
Enjoy a demonstration of traditional Vietnamese cooking before a sumptous three course lunch including Mekong specialities onboard.
Relax while cruising the pleasant waterways on the way back to Ben Tre and return to Ho Chi Minh City by road.
Dinner cruise on the Saigon River, £49 per person - The ideal way to experience the city at night, enjoy glittering views along the Saigon River and enjoy sumptuous Vietnamese cuisine on this magical dinner cruise aboard a traditional-style Dragon Boat.
The Captain of the vessel will welcome you onboard and introduce you to the specialties which have made this boat a culinary experience in Ha Chi Minh City. Your traditional vessel is a replica of a royal Vietnamese-style Dragon Boat that dates back to the 19th century and would have been used exclusively for Vietnamese emperors.
Relax on the upper deck as your vessel navigates through the city enjoying the setting sun and the sparkling city lights that reflect on the water. For dinner, enjoy a feast of traditional dishes, including rice flower pancakes ‘Banh xeo’, shrimp paste on sugar can, lotus salad ‘Goi ngo sen’ or pork pineapple skewers made on the BBQ grill. A tempting dessert will end this unforgettable evening on the waterways.
Classic Cu chi tunnels, £69 per person - The Cu Chi tunnel network formed an amazing underground city during the Vietnam War and the system stretched from Saigon to the Cambodian border and was three levels deep.
At its height the Cu Chi tunnel system stretched over 250km from Saigon to the Cambodian border and was three levels deep. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life in the American/Vietnam war must have been like. The tunnels have been widened for our benefit (otherwise we would not be able to enter them!)
Depart Ho Chi Minh City in the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle. On arrival at Cu Chi, watch a video presentation on the construction of the tunnels before making your way into the tunnels. Here you can spend around an hour exploring the maze of tunnels and also view the various mantraps on display and the remains of an American tank as well as numerous bomb craters made by 500 pound bombs dropped by B52 bombers. This unique experience gives a fascinating insight into what underground life in the war must have been like. The return journey to Ho Chi Minh City is by road arriving back in the early afternoon.
Saigon Cooking class with private transfers, £69 per person - Understanding the food is a great way to experience the culture of this fascinating country. Enjoy a guided tour through the market and discover exotic ingredients and fine spices before heading to the kitchen to cook traditional Vietnamese dishes.
Discover how to shop for and cook of authentic Vietnamese cuisine on this hands-on cooking experience. The class is held in one of the best cookery centres in Ho Chi Minh City, renowned as a culinary institution amongst locals, travellers and expatriates alike.
You will be met at your hotel by the chef and taken to lively Ben Thanh Market where you will discover the exotic vegetables, spices and herbs that will be used in your cooking lesson. Once you have collected all the ingredients, transfer to the Cookery Centre where you will learn the secrets of sophisticated Vietnamese dishes. You will divide into small groups for enhanced interaction as you will prepare a full menu.
Afterwards, exchange views while you savor the fruits of your efforts. In you haven’t had enough of cooking then you can book more than one class according to your travel schedule as each day different menus are prepared!
Mekong discovery, £39 per person - Escape the city for the lush fields and countless canals of the Mekong Delta. Cruise through the waterways, call into an island studded with tropical gardens and try local fruit. Rich and fertile, this region is Vietnam's agricultural heartland and this full-day adventure is the perfect way to discover its lush interior.
After a 2.5 hour drive through the countryside, arrive at My Tho. This former naval base is now a bustling port city in the Mekong Delta and the final destination of the mighty Mekong River which winds its way from Tibet, through China, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and finally Vietnam. Here you board your longtail boat for a cruise on the Mekong River. The journey includes a visit to an island with lush tropical gardens where you have the chance to sample tropical fruit and witness a traditional music performance. Continuing to another island in the Mekong Delta you learn more about another cottage industry, coconut candy. Your guide will take you to a factory and explain the process of making the sweet. There is also a chance to visit local villages in the area and learn more about the traditional lifestyles, culture and customs of people who call the Delta their home. An incredibly fertile region it's prime industry is food production, producing approximately half of Vietnam's total agricultural output. Life for villages in the area revolves around the rivers and canals that make up the delta, people are more likely to transport by river than road.
Continue your journey by horse and cart, visiting a bee farm where we transfer to smaller rowing boat allowing us to get deeper into the smaller canals of the Delta. Lunch is taken at Diem Phuong restaurant where your guide provides an overview on the finer points of local cuisine and assists with ordering some of these delicacies. After lunch return to My Tho for the journey back to Ho Chi Minh City.
Ho Chi Minh Discovery, £39 per person - Experience the authentic Ho Chi Minh City - explore ancient pagodas and beautiful colonial architecture, wander the lively streets of Chinatown, dive into noisy markets to strike bargains with the locals, try "Pho" or Vietnamese Noodle Soup and see American war relics at the War Remnants Museum.
We start our trip with our local guide by heading to Chinatown with stops at Cholon and Binh Tay markets to see the locals bartering for wares. We also stop off at the Thien Hau temple and Nha Rong wharf, where Ho Chi Minh first left Vietnam in 1911. The Thien Hau temple was built in the early 19th Century dedicated to Thien Hau, the goddess of seafarers. We delve deeper into Chinatown visiting the amazing Cholon and Binh Tay Market for an insight into where locals shop. Stop at a local café for a coffee to watch the hectic pace of life pass by in Ho Chi Minh City.Following our market visit, we will have a traditional local Vietnamese lunch, "Pho" or noodle soup.
After lunch we visit the War Remnants Museum, take a walking tour to Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, General Post office, Opera house and downtown Saigon. The War Remnants Museum was originally opened in September 1975, it displays old military equipment and other related items from the Vietnam War. In the courtyard we will find some larger exhibits including a F5A fighter and a UH1-Huey helicopter. The Reunification Palace, formerly known as the Presidential Palace was the sight of South Vietnam's surrender in April 1975. Notre Dame Cathedral, General Post Office and the Opera House are beautiful examples of architecture from the French colonial period.
Bangkok
Damnern Saduak Floating Market, £35 per person – Hop into a narrow long-tailed speedboat and visit Damnoen Saduak, Thailand’s most famous floating market. These colourful, bustling floating markets travel along the canals in canoes laden with fresh fruit and vegetables to sell to shoppers on the banks. Join in the excitement and try your hand at bartering!
Bridge on the River Kwai, £49 per person – In this excursion you can get away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and discover the famous bridge over the River Kwai, only 100 kilometres from the city. This trip will take you to the province of Kanchanabury, located to the West of Bangkok. Once there you will have the opportunity to visit the war cemetery where more than 9000 allied soldiers are buried as well as a reconstruction of a POW camp that also houses a museum. Discover the Bridge over the River Kwai, notorious for having built by allied POWs during the Second World War. Take a train across the river along the original “death railway” while you enjoy the views and spectacular jungle landscapes. Enjoy this popular and unrepeatable experience while a knowledgeable local guide provides a fascinating commentary about this famous and spectacular place.
Thai Boxing, £75 per person – Where better to watch the thrilling sport of Thai Boxing than in one of the two most-important boxing stadiums in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok! After being collected from your hotel, you’ll be taken to one of Bangkok’s two boxing stadiums where matches are held most nights. Muay Thai, or Thai Boxing, now a popular sport all over the world, begins with a special pre-fight ceremony to show respect for the fighters’ religion, their trainers and the sportsmanship involved. Once the match begins, the atmosphere inside the stadium becomes electric as opponents use every part of their body to kick, punch and fight their way to victory – all played out to the sound of gamblers shouting the odds on the winner and strident background Thai boxing music! At the end of the match, you’ll be returned safely to your centrally located Bangkok hotel.
Thai Booking Class in Bangkok, £59 per person – Thai cuisine is one of the country's cultural heritages and it is renowned internationally to be one of the best cuisines in the world. Spend only half a day to discover a true Thai taste that you will never want to miss and that you will be able to impress your friends with. You can enjoy the cooking lessons with traditional and practical Thai recipes in an ideal home-style learning environment. There are two sessions a day and in each session participants will learn 4 Thai dishes (one set menu). The price includes lesson fee, use of school's cooking utensils and all fresh and dry ingredients.
Grand Palace Tour, £29 per person – The Grand Palace, home to the Emerald Buddha, is the most important of all Thai monuments and a must-see when visiting Thailand. Built over two centuries ago, it was the residence of the Kings of Siam and its beauty must be seen to be believed! Book this tour in advance to ensure you don’t miss out. Take a tour of the Grand Palace, one of the most important Thai monuments, which was once the home of the Kings of Siam. This magnificent palace was built in traditional Thai style combined with European designs. Within the extensive Palace grounds is the Wat Phra Kaew, the most sacred and important of all Thai temples. This contains the most revered Buddha image in the country - the Emerald Buddha - which is made from one solid piece of translucent green jade. At the end of the tour, you’ll be dropped off at your centrally located Bangkok hotel.
Bangkok Waterways, £39 per person – Bangkok’s waterways are what earned it the title ‘Venice of the East’ and these ‘klongs’ provide the city’s lifeblood. On this exciting morning tour, enjoy a journey along the Choa Phraya River by motor boat to Thornburi where Bangkok was founded, and visit the Temple Wat Arun and the Royal Barges Museum. Hop into a motor boat which will whisk you along the Chao Phraya River to the klongs (canals) of Thornburi where Bangkok was founded. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of ordinary Thai people as they go about their day cooking in floating kitchens, purchasing goods from floating shops and living in the traditional manner along the riverbank. During the tour, you’ll visit the magnificent Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). A Wat is a Buddhist religious where men and women can be ordained as monks or nuns. The tour also includes a visit to the Royal Barges Museum which houses the eight elaborately decorated long-boats which are used during royal ceremonial processions. At the end of the tour, you’ll be returned to your hotel.
Floating Markets and Bridge on the River Kwai, £59 per person – Discover two of Thailand’s most popular attractions on this full day experience from Bangkok, perfect for those who have limited time in Thailand’s capital. Your day commences with a scenic drive through sugar cane fields, rice paddies and pineapple plantations before embarking on an exciting long tail speed-boat ride to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, passing traditional stilt houses and scenes that have changed little over the centuries. Enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of the famous market where you will find hundreds of Thai style canoes laden with fruits, vegetables, sweets and meats. If you want to get really close to the action, your local Thai guide will help you organise a local boat ride through the markets (optional extra, payable locally).
Half Day Bangkok Temples Tour, £29 per person – Thailand is predominantly a Buddhist country with around 95% of Thai's practicing the Theravada discipline of Buddhism. Therefore on the streets of Bangkok it is not unusual to see monks walking along the road and it is no surprise that Thailand has over 26.000 Wat's (the local name for Temple). You cannot leave Thailand without taking this half-day tour and visiting three of the most significant temples in Bangkok renowned for their cultural values and Buddhist sacredness.
