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We are considering this itinerary in January 2013 and I wondered if anyone had done this itinerary and could provide some feedback? Also interested if anyone has done the extension? Thanks.

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I was on the March 6, 2012 expedition to Cambodia & Vietnam with Lindblad and would be happy to provide any information you might find helpful. A good place to start is with the Daily Expedition Reports that are on the Lindblad website (under “Guest Experiences”), simply select the “Jahan” from the ship drop down menu. These reports give lots of details about the many things you’ll do and see on the trip. It's quite an active adventure. There's very little "downtime."

The ship itself is new, beautiful and very comfortable. The staff is Cambodian and is extremely anxious to please the passengers. The temperature there is hot, no other way to say it. But it’s quite comfortable on the upper deck with a slight breeze. Food is delicious both on the ship and several restaurants on the excursions. The lectures are very informative and the nightly movies provide a unique perspective for the following day’s adventure.

A small group of us followed the Lindblad itinerary with an abbreviated version of the extension. We flew from Saigon to Hanoi for 2 nights followed by 1 night aboard the Jasmine in Halong Bay.

Overall, it was a wonderful journey. Both the Cambodians and the Vietnamese people were very welcoming and quite happy to share some of their life’s details with us.

The Lindblad staff was always available for questions and to give us any information we needed to have a memorable journey. They were a delight to travel with in Indochina.

I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.

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  • 3 weeks later...

We did a similar itinerary with another company several years ago, and it was great. I recommend the extension you speak of, those parts of Vietnam contain so much beauty, history and culture, you won't want to miss them.

 

Halong Bay is spectacular, and we really enjoyed Hanoi.

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Thanks so much for the replies and happy to hear that you enjoyed the visit to Cambodia and Vietnam. We have already been to Egypt and Peru with Lindblad and find them to be an excellent company to travel with. I never thought of checking out the daily expedition reports but that is an excellent idea. I assume you did the extension to Hanoi and Halong Bay independently?? We would like to do Lindblad's extension but it will make for a longer trip than we would like so perhaps we could also make arrangements for a shorter version on our own. Did you also arrange for guides for your visit to Hanoi? We will be travelling with another couple so this would definitely be a possibility. Have either of you been on a tour to China and could compare the two destinations? Thanks again for taking the time to answer my question.

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MJC - I would be interested in which company you toured Vietnam and Cambodia with and your thoughts on their tour? Would you recommend any other places to visit as an extension besides Hanoi and Halong Bay? Also noticed you have been to China so might be able to compare your China itinerary with the Cambodia/Vietman one.

Looks like you also enjoy Windstar. We have been on several Windstar cruises most recently from Rome to Venice this month. Just returned on May 21 and had a great time.

Thanks for your input.

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Those folks who went on the regular extension reported back that they had an excellent experince and shared great photos to prove it.

Because of family and work, we were limited in the amount of time we wanted to spend...and the extension was just too much time away from home. About 5 months before our trip, we asked Lindblad about a shorter extension for the four of us. Lindblad put together a 3 night package, along with the help of "Trails of Indochina" (check out the website), to accomodate our wishes.

We were picked up at the Park Hyatt in Saigon and taken to the airport for the short flight to Hanoi. Our Hanoi guide and driver met us at the airport and were with us the entire time. They overnighted in Halong Bay at a nearby hotel. We were all glad we took our "custom" extension.

Sorry, not able to compare this trip to China. But, as you know, any trip with Lindblad is a great trip!

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Thank you for the information on the extension you did following your Lindblad trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. I never thought of having Lindblad put something together for us and it is good to know that they are able to do that. Also, good to know that the people who did the longer extension enjoyed it. Thanks for the link to the company they use for the extension. I will definitely check them out. We have booked this trip for Jan. 2013 and are excited to see this part of the world. Thanks again for your help and hope you will keep checking back to this board as I may have more questions as time goes on and our trip gets closer.

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MJC - I would be interested in which company you toured Vietnam and Cambodia with and your thoughts on their tour? Would you recommend any other places to visit as an extension besides Hanoi and Halong Bay? Also noticed you have been to China so might be able to compare your China itinerary with the Cambodia/Vietman one.

Looks like you also enjoy Windstar. We have been on several Windstar cruises most recently from Rome to Venice this month. Just returned on May 21 and had a great time.

Thanks for your input.

 

I've been so busy at work, no time for CC so I just saw this tonight, I apologize for not responding sooner.

 

Yes, we've enjoyed both the Wind Star and the Wind Spirit, and would like to do the Wind Surf in the Med sometime. We took our first Lindblad trip last year, and everything was top notch all the way. Very impressive.

 

Our trips to China and VN were so different, it's hard to compare them. China was a tour by land with a river cruise in the middle. There was a lot of packing and unpacking. We went Beijing - Xian - Chongqing - Yangtzee cruise - Shanghai. Most of our time was spent in big cities. Most of the sites we visited were very crowded. It was thrilling to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. I loved China but you can see the challenges of holding onto the past there, they are building so fast and so huge, though some of the new architecture is incredibly breathtaking. The distances there are very great. It can take two hours just to go from one side of Beijing to the other. Generally speaking, the historical sites are much larger, grander, and have been maintained through the years more regularly, I think, than those in Vietnam. But, I liked how approachable the sites in Vietnam are, they seem like they are used by real people still on a daily basis.

 

We chose to cruise Vietnam because most of what we wanted to see was along the coast and we felt it would be easiest by ship. It is a long skinny country and lends itself to travel by water. Even the "big" cities have an intimate feel that is very different from China. Life seems a little slower there. The cities did not have that generic feel that most international cities do. Since we were visiting a lot of historical sites, we spent significant time traveling into the countryside, which is very, very beautiful. When we visited the Imperial City at Hue, some fellow travelers said that it didn't compare to the Imperial City at Beijing (which most people would agree with), but we didn't know what they meant at the time. Most of the Imperial City at Hue was bombed during the war, so very little remains, but what is there is beautifully restored. We had fun shopping in the central market there, and when we visited the Seven Pillar Pagoda we got to visit with some of the young monks there. Hoi An is absolutely charming. Halong Bay is stunning. Saigon and Hanoi are both very interesting but very different from each other.

 

We went with Clipper Cruises, which doesn't exist now but was folded into Zeghram's. It was called The Culture and Antiquities of Vietnam. We went first to Cambodia on our own for four days, and then flew to Saigon to join the ship. We added on an extra day in Hanoi because we thought one wasn't enough. Our itinerary was similar to this one, if you just look at the Saigon to Hanoi portion (we did not visit the Mekong or Phnom Penh):

 

http://www.zeco.com/expeditions/asia/vietnam-cambodia-sea/itinerary?departure=VIET1301

 

I will find the link for our photo albums for both trips and post them later.

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Thanks so much for the link the photos of your trip Sadie2243. I really enjoyed the slide show and can't wait to see all the wonderful sights for ourselves. Loved the all the photos but especially the ones of the children! I appreciate that you will keep an eye on the boards in case I have more questions as the trip draws nearer. You have been a great help.

 

Margaret - Thank you for your very detailed reply to my questions. It was interesting to hear your comparison of China and Vietnam. China is certainly on our bucket list but for now, Cambodia and Vietnam will be our next big trip. I really like the Clipper itinerary along the coast - looks like a beautiful trip and I look forward to seeing your photos of both China and Vietnam/Cambodia. We will be spending 6 or 7 days on the Mekong from Saigon to Siem Reap. Our decision right now is whether or not to do the 8 day Lindblad extension in Vietnam or do an abbreviated extension. We certainly would like to see Hanoi and Halong Bay and perhaps Hoi An. If you had to miss Hue or Hoi An - which one would you chose?? We are a group of 4 so in the end it will have to be a group decision. Once again, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post.

 

Sherry

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Sherry- I'm having trouble getting the links to my books to work, but I'm working it out with My Publisher and I'll post them when I get it fixed.

 

Choosing between Hue and Hoi An really depends on your preferences. Both are interesting but in different ways.

 

In Hue, most people visit the Imperial City, go to the market, visit the famous pagoda, maybe take a trip on the Perfume River, and then travel to one of the imperial mausoleums (I recommend this, they are beautiful - you can read about them on Google).

 

Hoi An is beautiful and quaint, and has a lot of maritime history. It is very much an intact 19th century seaside town. Generally one visits the "meeting houses" of the different nations who traded there, they are truly unique. The architecture is full of intricate detail. There is some great shopping for Vietnamese crafts in Hoi An, and some of our fellow travelers had silk garments custom-made there. Our day was combined with a morning visit to the My Son monuments, some of the oldest in Vietnam.

 

The first picture is Hoi An, the second is the Imperial City.

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IMG_1230small.jpg.e2d796ddfd36e749a654f1e8afb3a3b8.jpg

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Hi Margaret,

Thanks for the information of Hoi An and Hue. We have had a meeting with the other couple we are travelling with and have decided to add on Lindblad's full extension, so we will have the opportunity to visit both places. Thanks also for the link to your photos. We have been away for a couple of days so I haven't had a chance to look at them yet. I really appreciate you taking the time to help with our trip planning!

 

By the way, we just were on the Wind Surf from Rome to Venice. We had a great time - this is really nice itinerary visiting Capri, Messina, Kotor (Montenegro), Dubrovnik and Hvar (Croatia). We would recommend it. It was our first time on the larger Windstar ship. We enjoyed it but definitely prefer the intimacy of the Spirit and the Star. We have also done Athens to Istanbul - another itinerary we would recommend - on the Wind Star.

 

Thanks again, Margaret for all your help.

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  • 5 months later...

Our expedition to Vietnam and Cambodia is coming up quickly now and we are all getting very excited. We leave Canada Jan. 7. I was just wondering if Sadie and MJC have any suggestions for what to pack? I am especially interested in suggested footwear?? Looks like we will have some rain, so will definitely be packing a light raincoat and umbrella. Sadie, how dressy was the Jahan? The other Lindblad trips we have been on have been pretty casual - is this the same? Hope to hear back - this is a pretty quiet board!

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Items that I was very glad I packed were: clothespin/hangers for drying hand laundry, extra batteries for cameras (there were some very serious photographers on our trip), lots of socks, quick dry shorts, light weight long pants (some of the Temples require covered knees), and hats.

For tee shirts you'll have plenty of opportunity to pick up very inexpensive shirts in Saigon and Hanoi, so don't overpack those.

I took three pair of shoes for the trip: lightweight waterproof hiking boots, sneakers, and flats for dinners on the ship.

The Jahan is very casual in dress, though somewhat dressier shirts/tops were worn for dinner. The days are VERY hot and humid, so plan on light weight, breathable, cool clothes. There is a small pool on the ship, but only one person ever got in the pool. If you're planning on doing the morning Tai Chi, you will need shorts, tee & sneakers...you really should try it for a couple of days.

It is a v-e-r-y slow board, but I'll keep checking back to see if I can advise any more on packing. But, no matter what you pack, you're going to have a fabulous time!

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Thanks, Sadie for your packing advice - much appreciated! Did you experience much rain on your trip? If the weather forecasts are correct, we can expect rain in the north part of Vietnam (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue and Hoi An). I was thinking of taking a pair of walking sandals like Keens. Do you think those would be appropriate? Thanks for keeping an eye on this board - I'm sure I will have a few more questions as we draw nearer to our departure date.

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Always happy to help, CK.

We did not have a single day of rain, so I really can't comment on that. As far as Tevas...I guess it depends on your level or comfort in them. Keep in mind that the trails/path and streets of the city are uneven, not very clean and extremely crowded. I reviewed our photos and saw some flip-flops, but mostly sneakers. Locals are either barefoot or in flip-flops in the rural areas, but Teva type shoes are common in the urban areas. When leaving the Jahan, the "stairs" are usually carved in the dirt of the hillside, they are irregular and somewhat difficult even in hiking boots. Also, shoes must be removed when you enter a Temple, so perhaps Tevas would be better than sneakers there.

I did think of a couple other things for you...in many of the rural areas the children will flock to the tourists and simply want to hold your hands to walk with you (it's quite endearing). You may want to have some purell handy.

Dinners in Siem Reap, Saigon, Hanoi and the like are quite a bit dressier when they're in restaurants. So plan on at least 2-3 dressier nights. If you're on the Jasmine in HaLong bay, that is quite casual...like the Jahan.

Final item...take along a good amount of small newish $bills. Having a $20 is like not having any money.

Hope this is helpful...

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You've been most helpful Sadie. Think I will take closed shoes and also a pair of Teva type sandals. Foot wear is always a problem - they are heavy and you don't want to take too many pairs! Did anyone use hiking poles? Thanks again.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks, Sadie. Think we will leave the hiking poles behind. I have one more question - did you take binoculars or do you think they would be of any use? Btw, hope you had a happy Holiday Season and all the best in 2013!

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I probably did take binoculars with me, but I'm certain I didn't use them. You are really up close to everything, and there's very little wildlife if that's what you want to look at. Besides, you can always use your camera lense if there's something really that interesting.

We had a great holiday, thanks. I hope you have a GREAT expedition! Please report back!

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Thanks, Sadie. I promise to report back. This board really needs all the help it can get and I am actually amazed I found someone like you to turn to for advice. Thanks again for taking the time to answer my questions!

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  • 7 months later...

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