How was your Explore Tour Leader?

 

Extremely helpful, kind and considerate

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

 

 

"Be very aware that there is a lot of travelling - 3 internal flights, 2 days on a boat, an all day bus trip and an overnight train. A lot of distance is covered.

Take a brolly if you are going at the end of the rainy season"

Do you have anything else to add?

 

 

The bus we had to take us to Siam Reap fro Phnom Pen was appallingly bad. It was old and rattly, the suspensio was non existent and it broke down several times on the way leading to a 6 hour bus ride being 8.5 hours. In the end another bus was sent to rescue us! I can understand issues outside of Explore's control adding to the adventure, but this was well within Explore's control - they just skimped to the bare bones on the quality/cost of the bus

 

 

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Pok was excellent. Extremely knowledgeable and helpful

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Relax and enjoy it. The travelling isn't strenuous, mainly train lane and boat. All of which beautiful scenery.

Do you have anything else to add?

Thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt alot

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Tour leader and local guides were very receptive to our needs and looked after us. They ensured the tour was full of interesting moments and introduced us to new experiences.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

If you like travelling by different modes of transport this tour has them all.

Do you have anything else to add?

If you get up early morning at Luang Prabang to see the queues of monks be prepared with the camera. The light levels are low and the average point and shoot just took blurry images.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

He was excellent, I have a lot of food alergies, and he was the most kind and helpful man I have ever had. He made sure that nothing was in my meals that would cause a problem. When I wanted to get to an umbrella factory in Chiang Mai he couldn't have been more helpful. Also our guide Tong in Laos was great.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Just go with the flow (we were there during the flooding) and you will just enjoy the whole experience.

Do you have anything else to add?

I love Explore trips.

Highlights were the people we met - the locals of each country but also our tour leader and local guides.  I was impressed with the way they treat each other with respect. Other highlights were the Mekong itself and the boat ride, plus Ankor Wat just to name two. I think this is a trip suitable for older travellers as you don't have to be particularly fit to enjoy it and feel it is one I could have done in my late 60s. The food also was fantastic and excellent value for money (BM -24th July 2011)

A trip with very little time couped-up in a minibus - a definite plus! Make sure you have loads of memory cards for your camera, (transfering photos onto CD along the way is quite easy to do, with a little planning) as its a photographers dream. You spend plenty time on boats just chilling and taking in the view, so take books/music/games (and don't forget that fleece, as early morning on the boat can be quite chilly). Luang Prabang is a great chill-out town, quite geared up for tourists (so plenty of shopping!). I'd definitely recommend getting up early at least once here to give alms to the monks - quite an experience!  Also, if you dont intend to swim, consider missing out Kuang Si Waterfalls - they are quite pretty, but just waterfalls!  Luang Prabang has so much to offer, you may want to skip this. If you're a vegetarian, dont expecet veg meals on the internal flights. The airline says you need to re-confirm the veg meals 72 hors before you fly, as they need to fly the meals in - I didnt know this until I arrived at the airport, so was too late! Siem Reap/Angkor Wat is incredibly crowded, but worthwhile. I'd suggest saving money and not bothering with the optional sunrise tour. Its quite expensive, and obviously, a nice orange sunrise isnt guaranteeed. In hindsight, I'd have stayed in bed hour for an extra 1.5 hours, and had a decent breakfast. If you do want to do it though, consider arranging it yourself using a tuk-tuk, as I'm sure you could do it a lot cheaper - especially if theres a group of you. Malaria tablets (doxycycline) are easily obtainable OTC without prescription in Boots (yes, the same company as in the UK) in Bangkok (much cheaper than UK). Boots are open late. Finally, the food.  Everywhere you go is pretty geared up for tourism, and the food is generally of a high quality, and cheap - enjoy! (BM - 21st November 2010)