DESTINATIONS VIETNAM ESCORTED TOURS
comforts. But it felt like a true adventure, and at 5am we got up to watch the train cross the notorious 17th parallel, where Vietnam was divided between north and south along the Ben Hai River. In Hue, we delved into Vietnam’s
royal history with a tour of the 19th-century Imperial City of the Nguyen dynasty, a visit to a royal tomb and the Buddhist Pagoda of the Celestial Lady, and to a spot overlooking the stunning Perfume River where gun emplacements dating back to the Vietnam war and French colonialism sit side by side. A real highlight in Hue was the
night we ate with a local family which, although optional and not included in the price, we all opted to do.
w MEET THE LOCALS After two nights, it was back on the minibus and on to Hoi An via an amazing mountain crossing just north of Da Nang, the US base that was the setting for Good Morning Vietnam. Hoi An is architecturally stunning but something of a tourist trap – Korean and Japanese visitors were as numerous as Hanoi’s mopeds in the town’s pedestrianised streets. However, it was here that we were
able to grab some much-needed beach time at An Bang and take a cycle tour to Tra Que village to meet the iconic Le Van and Nguyen Thi Loi, both in their 90s, married for 70 years and still growing herbs and vegetables in their smallholding. Hotel Emm in Hoi An was the most modern of the properties in which we stayed, as well as having the best pool. Intrepid chooses hotels suitable for
families, but good pools are hard to come by in Vietnamese cities, so this was a real luxury. After reluctantly leaving Hoi An, we
SAMPLE PRODUCT
Intrepid Travel’s Vietnam Family Holiday starts at £807 per
person, including transport, accommodation (in hotels, overnight boat, sleeper train and homestay), selected meals and activities, but excluding international flights. Regular departures begin on June 29.
intrepidtravel. com/uk
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travelweekly.co.uk 14 June 2018
ABOVE: Lee’s family in Hoi An; inset, tour guide Bien Tran
LEFT: Meeting Le Van and Nguyen Thi Loi
took a domestic flight to Vietnam’s largest and most developed metropolis, Ho Chi Minh City. Our base was the state-run Victory Hotel, which was very well placed for visiting the city’s main attractions, but rather quirky. After a night’s stay, we stashed our bags while we ventured into the Mekong Delta by boat to experience a traditional way of life in a land of abundance. We started with a visit to a coconut candy maker, which was followed by a traditional meal of elephant ear fish and a night at a homestay, where the kids fished for shrimps to cook for dinner. Sadly, our return to Ho Chi Minh City marked the end of the trip, and as we reflected on the last incredible 11 days at our final meal as a group, we marvelled at all we’d experienced. We were in agreement that we simply couldn’t, and probably wouldn’t, have done it without the brilliant Bien and the superb organisation of Intrepid Travel. Travelling with kids is tough enough
in unfamiliar and challenging places, so ensuring everything runs smoothly is absolutely vital. That’s where escorted tour operators come in, helping travel-loving families such as ours take unforgettable holidays that were simply unheard of when I was my children’s age. They’re so lucky!
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