DESTINATIONS — ASIA
Indochina in your hand
Karl Cushing joined six agents in Vietnam and Laos on a Travel Indochina fam trip
I
f you’re looking for barometers to predict a destination’s popularity, then direct flights and new hotels are great giveaways. Where these lead, tourists will follow, and Vietnam and its Indochinese neighbours have been reaping the rewards over the past few years. Agents who know the region are
well-placed to capitalise on this growing demand, and after a nine- night fam with specialist operator Travel Indochina, the six agents I travelled with – all first-time visitors – were ready and raring to sell.
l VIETNAM With a great range of sights from north to south, long, thin Vietnam is a fantastic touring destination, its airports in the north (Hanoi) and south (Ho Chi Minh City) inviting open-jaw flights.
Our first destination was the
capital, where we stayed at the Hilton Hanoi Opera. We also toured the infamous ‘Hanoi Hilton’, the former central prison. Now a museum, it offers fascinating insights into the country’s troubled past. The agents loved the guided tours of Hanoi’s old town and French Quarter, home to all manner of colour, bustle and life, but the favourite activity in the north of Vietnam proved to be an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay, where we watched a stunning sunset and an electrical storm from our Paradise Cruises ship. With its 3,000 or so limestone
outcrops, the bay, an easy three to four-hour drive from Hanoi, is a marvel of nature. Recommend an overnight sailing to truly appreciate the area’s majesty.
44 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 14 August 2014
On our trip there was lots going on: from cruising to swimming, lazing on the beach to exploring fascinating caves, plus onboard activities including a singer, disco and cooking demonstration. From Hanoi we flew to Danang,
where the sandy beach and the Fusion Maia hotel, with its
Street food: Hanoi
FAST FACT Travel
Indochina’s trade contact number is 01865 268944 travelindo
china.co.uk
PICTURES: TRAVEL INDOCHINA/ROD MENZLER; IAN RICHARDS
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