Excursions in Asia

[readingfast]

We are on the Quest March 29th 2011. We already have several things kindly organised by one of our roll call members, but wondered if anybody could recommend any other excursions/ operators.

We are interested in:

Hong Kong - Day including lunch?

From Da Nang - possibly Hoi Ann?

Saigon

Bangkok - Temples etc. (already got markets covered)

Ko Samui - Would like a tour/swim/lunch/massage if possible.

Singapore - staying a couple of days.

 

 

Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[elyob]

On our trip in February we used Tours with Tong in Bangkok. We were unable to get Tong, our guide was Kung and she was great. We went to the Grand Palace, and the 2nd day we went to the floating market. In Saigon we used Smile Tours. This was booked by another CC member for 6 of us. They also used Smile Tours in Danang and went to Hoi An. We used the ship tour in Danang that just provided transportation to and from Hoi An. Hoi An was easy to do on your own.

[DrKoob]

We were on the same cruise with Elyob (Hi Bev). We also used Tong in Bangkok and we used Ha in Vietnam. We did Hoi Ann and more. You can read all about our trips/shore excursions at http://www.jkbellomo.com. It is a long review of our 14 day cruise with tons of photos. Our best buddies Mike and Carol Preisman were on the ship as well and Mike always arranges the shoreside excursions and you can read their entire review at http://www.thepreismans.com

 

Enjoy. All tour operators are linked there as well as details about what we did in Singapore and Hong Kong.

[gillianrose]

Please X go someplace besides the Caribbean. PLEASE! Like Down Under or Hawaii or anyplace. Some of us live on the West Coast and just don't like the Caribbean. Really. It's true.

 

And please Azamara, get over yourself and return to some normal pricing. You know your ships are sailing only partially full. This 2 for 1 sale thing is a total joke. Double the price and then cut it in half.

 

I really enjoyed your photos and report of your trip. Your reports and pictures are very encouraging. Since we have built up some status with Celebrity, we are looking forward to the enhancements and benefits we would get with Azamara. (We are also looking at Oceania.)

 

Since you live on the West Coast, will you be doing one of the Sea of Cortez cruises with Azamara in January?

 

We don't like the Caribbean, either, and we are trying to get some "extra" time off to take an Azamara cruise to Mexico in the early new year.

 

It helps to put one's money where one's mouth is, and I am just hoping the prices go down a bit so we can try out Azamara from the West Coast on one of those two journeys (no pun intended).

[DrKoob]

I really enjoyed your photos and report of your trip. Your reports and pictures are very encouraging. Since we have built up some status with Celebrity, we are looking forward to the enhancements and benefits we would get with Azamara. (We are also looking at Oceania.)

 

Since you live on the West Coast, will you be doing one of the Sea of Cortez cruises with Azamara in January?

 

We don't like the Caribbean, either, and we are trying to get some "extra" time off to take an Azamara cruise to Mexico in the early new year.

 

It helps to put one's money where one's mouth is, and I am just hoping the prices go down a bit so we can try out Azamara from the West Coast on one of those two journeys (no pun intended).

 

Gillian Rose,

 

Maybe we will get to meet. We are watching the January 19 Journey cruise to the Mexican Riviera, hoping the price will drop after the final payment is due. If it gets down a little bit you will see us onboard.

[sailaway5]

We were on the same cruise with Elyob (Hi Bev). We also used Tong in Bangkok and we used Ha in Vietnam. We did Hoi Ann and more. You can read all about our trips/shore excursions at www.jkbellomo.com. It is a long review of our 14 day cruise with tons of photos. Our best buddies Mike and Carol Preisman were on the ship as well and Mike always arranges the shoreside excursions and you can read their entire review at www.thepreismans.com

 

Enjoy. All tour operators are linked there as well as details about what we did in Singapore and Hong Kong.

 

We have enjoyed both yours and the Preismans review. As a matter of fact we are touring with Tong in Bangkok for 2-days and doing a very similar tour as you. Thanks for providing such a thorough review and photos. That certainly helped in our planning.

 

We are disembarking in Singapore and arrive in the afternoon and spend the night. Of course we are off the ship early in the morning. Do you recommend spending at least one night in a hotel to take in some sights before flying home. Your insight will be appreciated.

 

 

 

We are still researching what we want to do in Viet Nam. DH wants to see the CuChi tunnels.

[DrKoob]

We have enjoyed both yours and the Preismans review. As a matter of fact we are touring with Tong in Bangkok for 2-days and doing a very similar tour as you. Thanks for providing such a thorough review and photos. That certainly helped in our planning.

 

We are disembarking in Singapore and arrive in the afternoon and spend the night. Of course we are off the ship early in the morning. Do you recommend spending at least one night in a hotel to take in some sights before flying home. Your insight will be appreciated.

 

 

 

We are still researching what we want to do in Viet Nam. DH wants to see the CuChi tunnels.

 

Please tell Tong (I hope you are touring with HER and not one of her guides. They are all good but she is WONDERFUL) that we in the Preisman party love her and hope she has survived all this.

 

As to Singapore, I would definitely spend at least one night there. Just so you can do all the Singaporey stuff. See the Merlion, ride the Singapore Flyer, take the HoHo tour and have a drink at Raffles. We can recommend the Intercontinental, it is near to everything. You can walk to Raffles and some great shopping. The city is amaziningly clean and walkable.

 

And if you do the Night Safari, it is pretty cool but I wouldn't do it again after flying 21 hours that day. Lots of our group fell asleep.

 

And the tunnels sounds cool. Do them in HCMC but make sure you get to see the Mekong Delta. Especially the Vin Trang pagoda. Those Buddhas are amazing. Maybe the most amazing we saw on the trip and we saw a lot of Buddhas.

 

And no matter what, the highlight of everything we did in Vietnam was the cyclo ride. Make sure you take one in either HCMC or Hanoi. Amazing. And don't miss Hoi Ann. I would love to go back there.

 

Jim

[sailaway5]

Please tell Tong (I hope you are touring with HER and not one of her guides. They are all good but she is WONDERFUL) that we in the Preisman party love her and hope she has survived all this.

 

As to Singapore, I would definitely spend at least one night there. Just so you can do all the Singaporey stuff. See the Merlion, ride the Singapore Flyer, take the HoHo tour and have a drink at Raffles. We can recommend the Intercontinental, it is near to everything. You can walk to Raffles and some great shopping. The city is amaziningly clean and walkable.

 

And if you do the Night Safari, it is pretty cool but I wouldn't do it again after flying 21 hours that day. Lots of our group fell asleep.

 

And the tunnels sounds cool. Do them in HCMC but make sure you get to see the Mekong Delta. Especially the Vin Trang pagoda. Those Buddhas are amazing. Maybe the most amazing we saw on the trip and we saw a lot of Buddhas.

 

And no matter what, the highlight of everything we did in Vietnam was the cyclo ride. Make sure you take one in either HCMC or Hanoi. Amazing. And don't miss Hoi Ann. I would love to go back there.

 

Jim

 

Yes -- we are fortunate enough to have "Tong" herself reserved for both days tours......(again from yours and the Preisman's review)... So we are hopeful all will go well. When we first arrive at 2:00 pm (like you) we have asked for the identical tour which you took going to the Grand Palace first. Tong did indicate unless we were off the ship quickly, this may not be able to be done. Did you feel you were rushed thru this particular palace? Would you do it this way again?

 

As far as Viet Nam, I will have to study or research more to determine if a private tour is what we should do. Does our ship sail up the Mekong Delta? or you recommend taking a side trip on the delta? Again, thanks for your suggestions.

[DrKoob]

Yes -- we are fortunate enough to have "Tong" herself reserved for both days tours......(again from yours and the Preisman's review)... So we are hopeful all will go well. When we first arrive at 2:00 pm (like you) we have asked for the identical tour which you took going to the Grand Palace first. Tong did indicate unless we were off the ship quickly, this may not be able to be done. Did you feel you were rushed thru this particular palace? Would you do it this way again?

 

As far as Viet Nam, I will have to study or research more to determine if a private tour is what we should do. Does our ship sail up the Mekong Delta? or you recommend taking a side trip on the delta? Again, thanks for your suggestions.

 

We thought we would be rushed as well but we weren't at all. Going to the palace that day worked perfectly. We did that as well as taking the dragon boat on the canals and going to the reclining Buddha.

 

The ship sails up the Mekong river to dock in Saigon. We did the Mekong Delta on the second morning. It was great.