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Six months after our first trip to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, my mouth salivates with the memories. I am a food lover. While I find it difficult to remember peoples’ names, dates, and book titles, I can distinctly recall the settings and tastes of delicious meals.

Hanoi was our first stop in Vietnam. Dodging our way through motorbike traffic and weaving among the fascinating sidewalk vendors, we found the culinary goal I’d had my stomach set on: Banh Cuon! A slight, older woman (mother, grandmother?) spreads the crepe batter atop a large round drum on the sidewalk outside of the tiny eatery.

The result is impossibly thin and we watch amazed as she expertly transfers it onto a plate. Topped with flavorful ground pork, herbs, thin and crunchy fried shallots along side of a bright dipping sauce it is the perfect bite. So ethereal that we have to order another round!

Food is everywhere! Bowls of Pho in every direction and I’m in heaven.

In Luang Prabang, Laos, we discover sticky rice that we roll into little balls and dip into colorful sauces. Fried seaweed and salty chewy buffalo jerky are the Laotian snack foods that we wash down with cold BeerLao. The night food market in the center of town is chock full of vendors cooking sausages, grilling skewers of meat and fish, assembling noodle bowls and baking sweet coconut cakes which we eat while warm and delicate.

We arrive in Saigon, to the cacophony of motorbikes revving and beeping along the boulevards. Our guide takes us to the sprawling wholesale market. We make our way through bin after bin of colorful spices, dried fruits, mushrooms, noodles, strange petrified sea creatures and cooking utensils. Our appetites are primed for my culinary goal in Saigon: the crab restaurant! Our cab driver weaves through the congested streets and deposits us in front of an alley shaped restaurant with few tables. We are lucky to grab one. Crab is plentiful in tasty vermicelli bowls and piled crispy and sweet on platters with dipping sauce. I’m in crab heaven!

In lovely, lantern lit Hoi An, we learn to make and eat rose dumplings – light and luscious. Bowls of tiny clams with garlic, lemongrass and fresh herbs remind me that simple and fresh ingredients make the best food memories. We eat banana crepes fresh off the griddle from a sidewalk vendor and happen upon the most delicious iced coffee I have ever drunk. Make that the most delicious coffee, period. Sweetened with condensed milk, it’s a symphony of bitter, sugary, icy and rich perfection on a hot, late morning.

The people, history, and scenery from the remarkable itinerary arranged by Haivenu Tours are captured in the hundreds of photographs we can rifle through in pleasant reverie. But the memories of the flavors remain only in my mind and mouth as I savor them again and again.

Ms. Melorie Noble

Eating our way through Indochina

Six months after our first trip to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, my mouth salivates with the memories. I am a food lover. While I find it difficult to remember peoples’ names, dates, and book titles, I can distinctly recall the settings and tastes of delicious meals.

Hanoi was our first stop in Vietnam. Dodging our way through motorbike traffic and weaving among the fascinating sidewalk vendors, we found the culinary goal I’d had my stomach set on: Banh Cuon! A slight, older woman (mother, grandmother?) spreads the crepe batter atop a large round drum on the sidewalk outside of the tiny eatery.

The result is impossibly thin and we watch amazed as she expertly transfers it onto a plate. Topped with flavorful ground pork, herbs, thin and crunchy fried shallots along side of a bright dipping sauce it is the perfect bite. So ethereal that we have to order another round!

Food is everywhere! Bowls of Pho in every direction and I’m in heaven.

In Luang Prabang, Laos, we discover sticky rice that we roll into little balls and dip into colorful sauces. Fried seaweed and salty chewy buffalo jerky are the Laotian snack foods that we wash down with cold BeerLao. The night food market in the center of town is chock full of vendors cooking sausages, grilling skewers of meat and fish, assembling noodle bowls and baking sweet coconut cakes which we eat while warm and delicate.

We arrive in Saigon, to the cacophony of motorbikes revving and beeping along the boulevards. Our guide takes us to the sprawling wholesale market. We make our way through bin after bin of colorful spices, dried fruits, mushrooms, noodles, strange petrified sea creatures and cooking utensils. Our appetites are primed for my culinary goal in Saigon: the crab restaurant! Our cab driver weaves through the congested streets and deposits us in front of an alley shaped restaurant with few tables. We are lucky to grab one. Crab is plentiful in tasty vermicelli bowls and piled crispy and sweet on platters with dipping sauce. I’m in crab heaven!

In lovely, lantern lit Hoi An, we learn to make and eat rose dumplings – light and luscious. Bowls of tiny clams with garlic, lemongrass and fresh herbs remind me that simple and fresh ingredients make the best food memories. We eat banana crepes fresh off the griddle from a sidewalk vendor and happen upon the most delicious iced coffee I have ever drunk. Make that the most delicious coffee, period. Sweetened with condensed milk, it’s a symphony of bitter, sugary, icy and rich perfection on a hot, late morning.

The people, history, and scenery from the remarkable itinerary arranged by Haivenu Tours are captured in the hundreds of photographs we can rifle through in pleasant reverie. But the memories of the flavors remain only in my mind and mouth as I savor them again and again.

Ms. Melorie Noble

Expand

Camping trip in Northern Vietnam

Some years back we had travelled to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar and left the region knowing that we had to return to visit Vietnam.

Last year we were fortunate enough to find time to make the trip. While planning the visit the one thing that we really wanted to do was some trekking and camping in North Vietnam. Most companies refused to help with this quest, particularly as it was early February and thought to be far too cold. Little did they know that we had already camped on Antarctica! Haivenu Tours were the exception. They were fantastic, and nothing seemed to be too much problem.

We caught the train from Hanoi to Lao Cai where we were met by our tour guide – Mr Son, who drove us to Sapa to start our trek. We are both fit 50 somethings but do carry injuries. The route was undulating, but nothing that we could not handle, including the extra excitement of slippery mud. On-route we had outstanding vistas of paddy fields and surrounding countryside.

We also met many people from the minority tribes. All were most friendly and always on hand to assist should we be battling down a steep hill. We also saw some different scenes, like the one below where a young water buffalo is having a haircut.

Our trek was a little different as we chose to camp but did have the option of doing a home stay if we wanted. The second camp site was on the banks of a river, far enough from the nearest village not to be disturbed and near enough to not feel totally isolated.

That evening was our last night of hiking and we were treated to a Vietnamese outdoor barbeque. There was plenty food and for the first time we had rice cooked in bamboo over hot coals. We were even treated to some Vietnamese wine. An evening that neither of us will ever forget. Thank you Mr Son, Ha and all at Haivenu tours for this unique experience.

Mrs. Ros Pennefather

Expand

LUANG PRABANG

By far, today was the best day of the trip. Several people have said that Luang Prabang would be the high point of the trip and I can see why. It’s a UNESCO heritage city that was founded in the 7^th century and remained the capitol until the 1500s. Maybe it’s sort of a cross between Key West, Asheville and Charleston.

This morning at 6AM we participated in the daily morning ritual of saffron-clad monks collecting Alms from the general populace. We bought and distributed the contents of 2 large boxes filled with individual packages of ramen to the monks. Most of the offerings are plain rice with no protein.

For many, it’s their only source of food. Unlike Thailand where all the men spend some time as monks, about 30% of Lao men train as monks during their lives. Some spend a few months while others spend a lifetime. The monks have 2 meals that must be completed before 11 AM. The rest of their day is spent in study and prayer. Our guide got his education as a monk including his ability to speak English. Laos is unique in being the only country where this tradition of Alms is still preserved.

We spent the morning at the Living Rice Farm. We learned how rice is grown by experiencing it firsthand as a rice farmer. I had the most fun by being knee deep in the rice paddy mud pushing a plow being pulled by a water buffalo. I only did it for 10 minutes and was exhausted.

In the afternoon, we visited the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls and lush forest walking trails. The lower falls have 3 swim pools that are freezing cold. The main waterfall is over 500 meters and is quite sight. Everyone in Laos is there with you to make it very crowded. Afterward, we took a leisurely walk to the riverside and saw a rickety single lane bamboo bridge crossing the river. Little did I know that after a lovely expensive ($18 incl taxes & tip) dinner with my bride that I walked across the dimly lit Bamboo Bridge after dinner to return to our hotel.

ANOTHER DAY

We took a short pontoon boat ride from the dock of our lovely 5 star hotel ($100/nite) across the wide Mekong River to the other side. We then took a 2 hour car ride on Highway 13 south (more about that later) to the 4000 Island area. We then got on what was essentially an 11 metre old canoe with a tiny outboard engine and sat single file on wooden planks for a half hour journey down to Mekong.

At this point, essentially all boat traffic stops because the Mekong becomes a series of islands and significant waterfalls. The 2 major islands in the region are first Don Det and then Don Khone (pronounced Kahn). We disembarked onto Don Khone. It is a lovely island, filled with tourists including some backpackers who stay for $5/nite. We proceeded by a sidecar tuk-tuk to the railway bridge connecting Don Det and Don Khone.

In the late 1890’s, the French developed a project to connect the vast landlocked region of southern China to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). You will recall that the Mekong River originates in the snow-capped mountains of Tibet and runs through China, Laos and Cambodia before entering Mekong Delta in Vietnam to the ocean. However, essentially all boat traffic ends as described above.

Over a decade, the French built a 14 kilometer railroad from Don Det with a bridge over the Mekong to Don Khone to a point further south below the aforementioned blockage of the river. They then constructed boats and filled them with cargo that sailed down the Mekong to Don Det Island. The cargo was off loaded and the ships disassembled.

All was loaded onto the railroad to the southern port of Don Khone. The boats were reassembled and the cargo was put back on for the remainder of the trip to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. In a similar manner, goods from the Vietnamese port were shipped in a northerly direction to Laos and China. This means of transportation functioned until 1941 when the Japanese invaded the region during WW II.

After the war, the French who were in a weakened position and fighting the Communists (Indochina War) tried to re-establish the route but it was supplanted by Highway 13 which runs 200 kilometers alongside the Mekong from the Lao-China border through Laos including Luang Prabang and Vientiane as well as Phnom Penh into Saigon. (BTW the Chinese are also building a railroad to the Golden Triangle which already has a gambling mecca like Las Vegas built by them on the Lao side of the Golden Triangle. We saw it when we started our boat trip from the Thai/Lao border – at the start of Day 3 above.)

The Chinese in their continuing successful efforts to dominate Laos and all of Southeast Asia are building a railroad from southern China ultimately to Saigon. The 1^st phase from China to Luang Prabang is scheduled to be complete by 2022. The final phase to Saigon is estimated to take a decade to complete.

Throughout Laos, the populace is distraught about becoming a puppet state of China but individually see no other choice. It is of interest to me that the Communist politicians who govern Laos are practicing Buddhists like the populace. I guess Communism adapts to the local environment. Independently, the Chinese also already helped build a currently functioning railroad system from Bangkok to Singapore.

We then continued by tuk-tuk to Tat Somphamit rapids and falls. It becomes obvious why the Mekong stops here to boat traffic. Even in the dry season, there are roaring rapids. There is a 1 hour zipline that costs $30 with 7 stations back and forth across the falls. It looked like great fun. Unfortunately time and circumstances did not allow me to do it.

After a late lunch, we travelled by tuk-tuk, canoe and car further south to Khone Phapheng Waterfall. I was really excited to see the widest waterfall in the world in person. It is 1-1.5 kilometers wide. As a point of reference, Victoria Falls is #7 and Niagara Falls is #9 in the world.

Alas, I was reminded that we were coming to the end of the dry season so the Falls were more a collection of rocks than rapids. However, it was still interesting but ultimately disappointing. We got back in time for Lynn to get a message at the resort before dinner. All in all a really cool day in southern Laos that was very different from what we had previously experienced.

Michael and Lynn Aptman, USA

Memories of Laos

LUANG PRABANG

By far, today was the best day of the trip. Several people have said that Luang Prabang would be the high point of the trip and I can see why. It’s a UNESCO heritage city that was founded in the 7^th century and remained the capitol until the 1500s. Maybe it’s sort of a cross between Key West, Asheville and Charleston.

This morning at 6AM we participated in the daily morning ritual of saffron-clad monks collecting Alms from the general populace. We bought and distributed the contents of 2 large boxes filled with individual packages of ramen to the monks. Most of the offerings are plain rice with no protein.

For many, it’s their only source of food. Unlike Thailand where all the men spend some time as monks, about 30% of Lao men train as monks during their lives. Some spend a few months while others spend a lifetime. The monks have 2 meals that must be completed before 11 AM. The rest of their day is spent in study and prayer. Our guide got his education as a monk including his ability to speak English. Laos is unique in being the only country where this tradition of Alms is still preserved.

We spent the morning at the Living Rice Farm. We learned how rice is grown by experiencing it firsthand as a rice farmer. I had the most fun by being knee deep in the rice paddy mud pushing a plow being pulled by a water buffalo. I only did it for 10 minutes and was exhausted.

In the afternoon, we visited the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls and lush forest walking trails. The lower falls have 3 swim pools that are freezing cold. The main waterfall is over 500 meters and is quite sight. Everyone in Laos is there with you to make it very crowded. Afterward, we took a leisurely walk to the riverside and saw a rickety single lane bamboo bridge crossing the river. Little did I know that after a lovely expensive ($18 incl taxes & tip) dinner with my bride that I walked across the dimly lit Bamboo Bridge after dinner to return to our hotel.

ANOTHER DAY

We took a short pontoon boat ride from the dock of our lovely 5 star hotel ($100/nite) across the wide Mekong River to the other side. We then took a 2 hour car ride on Highway 13 south (more about that later) to the 4000 Island area. We then got on what was essentially an 11 metre old canoe with a tiny outboard engine and sat single file on wooden planks for a half hour journey down to Mekong.

At this point, essentially all boat traffic stops because the Mekong becomes a series of islands and significant waterfalls. The 2 major islands in the region are first Don Det and then Don Khone (pronounced Kahn). We disembarked onto Don Khone. It is a lovely island, filled with tourists including some backpackers who stay for $5/nite. We proceeded by a sidecar tuk-tuk to the railway bridge connecting Don Det and Don Khone.

In the late 1890’s, the French developed a project to connect the vast landlocked region of southern China to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). You will recall that the Mekong River originates in the snow-capped mountains of Tibet and runs through China, Laos and Cambodia before entering Mekong Delta in Vietnam to the ocean. However, essentially all boat traffic ends as described above.

Over a decade, the French built a 14 kilometer railroad from Don Det with a bridge over the Mekong to Don Khone to a point further south below the aforementioned blockage of the river. They then constructed boats and filled them with cargo that sailed down the Mekong to Don Det Island. The cargo was off loaded and the ships disassembled.

All was loaded onto the railroad to the southern port of Don Khone. The boats were reassembled and the cargo was put back on for the remainder of the trip to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. In a similar manner, goods from the Vietnamese port were shipped in a northerly direction to Laos and China. This means of transportation functioned until 1941 when the Japanese invaded the region during WW II.

After the war, the French who were in a weakened position and fighting the Communists (Indochina War) tried to re-establish the route but it was supplanted by Highway 13 which runs 200 kilometers alongside the Mekong from the Lao-China border through Laos including Luang Prabang and Vientiane as well as Phnom Penh into Saigon. (BTW the Chinese are also building a railroad to the Golden Triangle which already has a gambling mecca like Las Vegas built by them on the Lao side of the Golden Triangle. We saw it when we started our boat trip from the Thai/Lao border – at the start of Day 3 above.)

The Chinese in their continuing successful efforts to dominate Laos and all of Southeast Asia are building a railroad from southern China ultimately to Saigon. The 1^st phase from China to Luang Prabang is scheduled to be complete by 2022. The final phase to Saigon is estimated to take a decade to complete.

Throughout Laos, the populace is distraught about becoming a puppet state of China but individually see no other choice. It is of interest to me that the Communist politicians who govern Laos are practicing Buddhists like the populace. I guess Communism adapts to the local environment. Independently, the Chinese also already helped build a currently functioning railroad system from Bangkok to Singapore.

We then continued by tuk-tuk to Tat Somphamit rapids and falls. It becomes obvious why the Mekong stops here to boat traffic. Even in the dry season, there are roaring rapids. There is a 1 hour zipline that costs $30 with 7 stations back and forth across the falls. It looked like great fun. Unfortunately time and circumstances did not allow me to do it.

After a late lunch, we travelled by tuk-tuk, canoe and car further south to Khone Phapheng Waterfall. I was really excited to see the widest waterfall in the world in person. It is 1-1.5 kilometers wide. As a point of reference, Victoria Falls is #7 and Niagara Falls is #9 in the world.

Alas, I was reminded that we were coming to the end of the dry season so the Falls were more a collection of rocks than rapids. However, it was still interesting but ultimately disappointing. We got back in time for Lynn to get a message at the resort before dinner. All in all a really cool day in southern Laos that was very different from what we had previously experienced.

Michael and Lynn Aptman, USA

Expand

Our interest in South East Asia began with a long time desire to visit Angkor Wat. Once we committed to the trip, we had to include other regional activities to make traveling that distance worthwhile. With those travel goals, we connected with Haivenu, our regional travel advisors. With Haivenu, we constructed a roughly two week tour of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

As a child of the ‘60s, my impressions of the region were skewed by the US military involvement in Vietnam. We knew the region and cultures were much broader than that period of time so our focus with Haivenu was to get a sample of the culture and diversity of these three distinct countries.

We first stopped in Hanoi where Haivenu had completely arranged our multi-visit visa. We were met in the airport by a local representative who gave us VIP service to pass Vietnamese customs and immigration. This really put the visit off to a good start. Our first few days were spent in Hanoi, arriving just after the Tet holiday so the city was still decorated and in a festive mood. We were struck by the energy of the city; the smells, the food, the traffic, the markets.

We enjoyed a spectacular water puppet show at a local theater, a cultural event that had been performed for centuries. Another memorable event was a lunch we had during our tour of the city. It was an amazing restaurant in both elegance and cuisine- - and we were the only diners there for lunch; a private luxury experience.

Leaving Hanoi, Haivenu guided us to an overnight cruise with Perla Dawn Sails in Lan Ha Bay. This location is quite similar to the more crowded Ha Long Bay. Our accommodation on the boat was marvelous as was the cruise. We had spectacular access to this unique area with marvelous views. It was well worth the long drive out of Hanoi.

Returning to Hanoi, we then took a regional flight to Luang Prabang in Laos. This is an out of the way location that may not be on everyone’s tour of this part of Asia. We loved it. Our hotel (Luang Say Residence) may be the most elegant place we’ve ever stayed. Absolutely marvelous food and service. In Laos we sampled their local crafts, silks and arts; their temples and Buddhist shrines. We boarded a private boat for a tour up the Mekong river. We had an early morning view of the local monks accepting food and offerings from the faithful to start their day.

From Laos, we flew to Siem Reap where we finally made our way to Angkor Wat. Our private tour guide was fabulous and not only explained what we were seeing but maneuvered us to stay away from the other growing crowds of tourists during our visit. We sampled bugs and BBQ during a night vespa tour of Siem Reap putting us right in the middle of the local city markets and culture. Our guide introduced us to an upscale local craft shop that had the most exquisite tapestries, art and carvings. These were really unique items of exceptional quality. Our purchases, now at home, still generate memories and discussions of our visit.

From Cambodia we returned to Vietnam, stopping first in Hoi An. On the drive from Da Nang airport, we were amazed at the level of investment and development in hotels, casinos, general tourism. The investment, both domestic and international, is enormous. In contrast, Hoi An retains a smaller village charm even though there are many tourists. Our lasting memory of Hoi An is taking a small boat ride on the river. The boat was piloted by an ancient Vietnamese woman with a broad smile (few teeth), and a warm personality. She spoke no English and we spoke no Vietnamese but we had a wonderful time. The things she must have seen during her years on the river.

We closed our Asian odyssey with a short flight and a stay in Ho Chi Minh City which everyone still seems to call Saigon. We were struck here as well by the level of investment, growth and development. The skyscrapers, highways and economic growth and energy are impressive. Our opera house visit and dance show was exceptional. We had an excursion out of the city, south to the Mekong Delta for a river tour and award winning luncheon. In a singular nod to America’s military involvement in the country we visited the Cu Chi tunnels and the war museum to see a bit of the war in Vietnam from the Vietnamese point of view.

One can say that the entire visit opened our eyes to different cultures, new energies and lifestyles. The people we met were open, warm and inviting. As for Haivenu and our travel plan- - everything went completely according to plan. Our guides, regional travel arrangements, ground transport, local excursions and recommended entertainments/restaurants/hotels could not have been better planned or executed. Our experience in Indochina will stay with us. We’re very glad we came.

Bill & Cleo

South Carolina, USA

Indochina visit

Our interest in South East Asia began with a long time desire to visit Angkor Wat. Once we committed to the trip, we had to include other regional activities to make traveling that distance worthwhile. With those travel goals, we connected with Haivenu, our regional travel advisors. With Haivenu, we constructed a roughly two week tour of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

As a child of the ‘60s, my impressions of the region were skewed by the US military involvement in Vietnam. We knew the region and cultures were much broader than that period of time so our focus with Haivenu was to get a sample of the culture and diversity of these three distinct countries.

We first stopped in Hanoi where Haivenu had completely arranged our multi-visit visa. We were met in the airport by a local representative who gave us VIP service to pass Vietnamese customs and immigration. This really put the visit off to a good start. Our first few days were spent in Hanoi, arriving just after the Tet holiday so the city was still decorated and in a festive mood. We were struck by the energy of the city; the smells, the food, the traffic, the markets.

We enjoyed a spectacular water puppet show at a local theater, a cultural event that had been performed for centuries. Another memorable event was a lunch we had during our tour of the city. It was an amazing restaurant in both elegance and cuisine- - and we were the only diners there for lunch; a private luxury experience.

Leaving Hanoi, Haivenu guided us to an overnight cruise with Perla Dawn Sails in Lan Ha Bay. This location is quite similar to the more crowded Ha Long Bay. Our accommodation on the boat was marvelous as was the cruise. We had spectacular access to this unique area with marvelous views. It was well worth the long drive out of Hanoi.

Returning to Hanoi, we then took a regional flight to Luang Prabang in Laos. This is an out of the way location that may not be on everyone’s tour of this part of Asia. We loved it. Our hotel (Luang Say Residence) may be the most elegant place we’ve ever stayed. Absolutely marvelous food and service. In Laos we sampled their local crafts, silks and arts; their temples and Buddhist shrines. We boarded a private boat for a tour up the Mekong river. We had an early morning view of the local monks accepting food and offerings from the faithful to start their day.

From Laos, we flew to Siem Reap where we finally made our way to Angkor Wat. Our private tour guide was fabulous and not only explained what we were seeing but maneuvered us to stay away from the other growing crowds of tourists during our visit. We sampled bugs and BBQ during a night vespa tour of Siem Reap putting us right in the middle of the local city markets and culture. Our guide introduced us to an upscale local craft shop that had the most exquisite tapestries, art and carvings. These were really unique items of exceptional quality. Our purchases, now at home, still generate memories and discussions of our visit.

From Cambodia we returned to Vietnam, stopping first in Hoi An. On the drive from Da Nang airport, we were amazed at the level of investment and development in hotels, casinos, general tourism. The investment, both domestic and international, is enormous. In contrast, Hoi An retains a smaller village charm even though there are many tourists. Our lasting memory of Hoi An is taking a small boat ride on the river. The boat was piloted by an ancient Vietnamese woman with a broad smile (few teeth), and a warm personality. She spoke no English and we spoke no Vietnamese but we had a wonderful time. The things she must have seen during her years on the river.

We closed our Asian odyssey with a short flight and a stay in Ho Chi Minh City which everyone still seems to call Saigon. We were struck here as well by the level of investment, growth and development. The skyscrapers, highways and economic growth and energy are impressive. Our opera house visit and dance show was exceptional. We had an excursion out of the city, south to the Mekong Delta for a river tour and award winning luncheon. In a singular nod to America’s military involvement in the country we visited the Cu Chi tunnels and the war museum to see a bit of the war in Vietnam from the Vietnamese point of view.

One can say that the entire visit opened our eyes to different cultures, new energies and lifestyles. The people we met were open, warm and inviting. As for Haivenu and our travel plan- - everything went completely according to plan. Our guides, regional travel arrangements, ground transport, local excursions and recommended entertainments/restaurants/hotels could not have been better planned or executed. Our experience in Indochina will stay with us. We’re very glad we came.

Bill & Cleo

South Carolina, USA

Expand

Our trip to the southern hemisphere was a reason to enjoy some sightseeing around Indochina en-route to visit our antipodean family. We started our journey, with Turkish Airlines, travelling from Valencia via Istanbul, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. An excellent airline.

On arrival we were met by our guide from Haivenu Tours and welcomed with many interesting Christmas presents from the Vietnamese area.

After a much needed night’s sleep, we were collected early from our hotel the next morning in a private car for the journey into Vietnam and the Mekong Delta, arriving two and a half hours later at Cai Be Pier for our embarkation to the Delta.

We were shown rice factories along the river and a scenic route to Tan Phnom Island in long tail rowing boats to our lodgings for the night at Mekong Eco lodge. This was luxury backpackers but did have an outside bathroom with a fish pond!

We were fed and watered with a very tasty regional lunch then out on bikes to explore the area. We learned how to make hats out of water hyacinths, hammocks out of reeds and vegetable cakes along the way. Our bed that night was a welcome sight and we were glad it was covered completely by a mosquito net as we were surrounded by ponds.

Next morning, as it was Christmas day, I was unsurprised to have received a load of texts, but was a little perplexed by the one I received from a friend in England, asking how we were coping with the typhoon. “Typhoon, what typhoon” we exclaimed from under our net!

We soon found out soon enough about the typhoon when we were moved away from breakfast on to a boat along with the island people toward the mainland for safety as the Mekong delta was being closed!

It felt surreal as there wasn’t any sense of panic, even though 600 people were being evacuated and we were in the midst of the trauma.

However our driver had mounted fields and countryside to collect us from the other side of the ferry point and drove us to a safer location.

As it happened we were placed in a very nice restaurant along with other tourists who were also unable to continue their travels that day. We were then driven to our next abode, earlier than planned, but were safe.

Next day we were unable to see the floating market because the stall holder’s vessels had to be tethered securely to the Mekong Delta banks.

It was not too much of a disappointment in these circumstances. We were driven to our next Hotel on the mainland of Can Tho and despite the torrential rain, we were told the brunt of the typhoon had moved on in another direction.

Our Delta trip was now moving into Cambodia, so we were transferred from the pier in Chau Doc into a little speed boat for our five hour trip along the Delta waterways into Cambodia, stopping a few miles down the river at the border between Vietnam and Cambodia to be registered. This was an easy processes and all the officials were extremely friendly and helpful.

On return to our boat we were given breakfast and they even had very high frequency Wi Fi. Amazing…no third world country here, not even on a boat!

Our arrival in Phnom Penh was more eventful, as no one was there to meet us but being seasoned travellers, we found our own way to the Hotel and immediately received a phone call apologising and offering us a free dinner trip as compensation. Excellent!

Next morning we were collected and taken to the ‘Killing Fields’ to see the atrocities that occurred under the direction of the Khmer Rouge.

Horrendous stories we were told of what had occurred there, and also visited the old school, which was converted to a prison, which held yet more almost unbelievable information.

We flew to Siem Reap, as it was very tortuous trip by car, and upon arrival we settled into our hotel where, this time, we were able to stay for a few days.

The highlight, of course, was the incredible Angkor Wat temple, actually promoted as one of the new seven wonders, There, we found a crowd of Buddhist monks accompanied by loads of chanting and colour.

We visited many temples in Cambodia and, apart form the one with the tree roots (Ta Phrom), this was by far the most spectacular!

Our Journey ended in Bangkok where we met up with family for a wonderful holiday celebrating our daughter’s 50th Birthday in Thailand.

Thanks to Haivenu Tours for their wonderful and informative trip around Vietnam and Cambodia.

Jill and Peter Surtees.

Family Reunion

Our trip to the southern hemisphere was a reason to enjoy some sightseeing around Indochina en-route to visit our antipodean family. We started our journey, with Turkish Airlines, travelling from Valencia via Istanbul, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. An excellent airline.

On arrival we were met by our guide from Haivenu Tours and welcomed with many interesting Christmas presents from the Vietnamese area.

After a much needed night’s sleep, we were collected early from our hotel the next morning in a private car for the journey into Vietnam and the Mekong Delta, arriving two and a half hours later at Cai Be Pier for our embarkation to the Delta.

We were shown rice factories along the river and a scenic route to Tan Phnom Island in long tail rowing boats to our lodgings for the night at Mekong Eco lodge. This was luxury backpackers but did have an outside bathroom with a fish pond!

We were fed and watered with a very tasty regional lunch then out on bikes to explore the area. We learned how to make hats out of water hyacinths, hammocks out of reeds and vegetable cakes along the way. Our bed that night was a welcome sight and we were glad it was covered completely by a mosquito net as we were surrounded by ponds.

Next morning, as it was Christmas day, I was unsurprised to have received a load of texts, but was a little perplexed by the one I received from a friend in England, asking how we were coping with the typhoon. “Typhoon, what typhoon” we exclaimed from under our net!

We soon found out soon enough about the typhoon when we were moved away from breakfast on to a boat along with the island people toward the mainland for safety as the Mekong delta was being closed!

It felt surreal as there wasn’t any sense of panic, even though 600 people were being evacuated and we were in the midst of the trauma.

However our driver had mounted fields and countryside to collect us from the other side of the ferry point and drove us to a safer location.

As it happened we were placed in a very nice restaurant along with other tourists who were also unable to continue their travels that day. We were then driven to our next abode, earlier than planned, but were safe.

Next day we were unable to see the floating market because the stall holder’s vessels had to be tethered securely to the Mekong Delta banks.

It was not too much of a disappointment in these circumstances. We were driven to our next Hotel on the mainland of Can Tho and despite the torrential rain, we were told the brunt of the typhoon had moved on in another direction.

Our Delta trip was now moving into Cambodia, so we were transferred from the pier in Chau Doc into a little speed boat for our five hour trip along the Delta waterways into Cambodia, stopping a few miles down the river at the border between Vietnam and Cambodia to be registered. This was an easy processes and all the officials were extremely friendly and helpful.

On return to our boat we were given breakfast and they even had very high frequency Wi Fi. Amazing…no third world country here, not even on a boat!

Our arrival in Phnom Penh was more eventful, as no one was there to meet us but being seasoned travellers, we found our own way to the Hotel and immediately received a phone call apologising and offering us a free dinner trip as compensation. Excellent!

Next morning we were collected and taken to the ‘Killing Fields’ to see the atrocities that occurred under the direction of the Khmer Rouge.

Horrendous stories we were told of what had occurred there, and also visited the old school, which was converted to a prison, which held yet more almost unbelievable information.

We flew to Siem Reap, as it was very tortuous trip by car, and upon arrival we settled into our hotel where, this time, we were able to stay for a few days.

The highlight, of course, was the incredible Angkor Wat temple, actually promoted as one of the new seven wonders, There, we found a crowd of Buddhist monks accompanied by loads of chanting and colour.

We visited many temples in Cambodia and, apart form the one with the tree roots (Ta Phrom), this was by far the most spectacular!

Our Journey ended in Bangkok where we met up with family for a wonderful holiday celebrating our daughter’s 50th Birthday in Thailand.

Thanks to Haivenu Tours for their wonderful and informative trip around Vietnam and Cambodia.

Jill and Peter Surtees.

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Thirty years ago, in what now seems another age, my wife and I were travelling through Thailand in early 1990, and among the many wonderful and beautiful places we visited was the glorious island of Phi Phi Don.

After spending a few days swimming and lazing on the beach, we took a water taxi to Ton Sai, the main settlement on the island. At that time, Thailand was not nearly as developed as it is now and the houses were typically simple stilted affairs with rattan walls and thatched roofs.

We were wandering through the delightful dappled tropical light of the village, surrounded by coconut palms with Tonsai bay glittering bright blue before us, and were charmed as we smiled at each other at the sight of the small children happily playing in the sand. A few fishermen were working on their nets and it seemed to us then that this was a lovely idyll of tranquil simplicity.

We were suddenly startled as a large coconut fell heavily a few feet in front of us, accompanied by a tearing sound as the falling object ripped the entire corner off the house in front of us.

There is always a ‘frozen moment’ when something unexpected happens and everyone in the vicinity stops and instinctively turn towards the source of disturbance with uncertain and troubled expression hovering upon their faces.

I remember vaguely being slightly shocked at how much damage a coconut could do and what the effect might have been if it had landed on us, when a fisherman who was standing close by looked directly at me, his face relaxing upon comprehension and broke out in a brilliant smile.

“Mai pen rai!” he declared in his native tongue, and all the villagers around us began to laugh and so infectious it was that we found ourselves laughing happily too.

Now, these were undoubtedly skilled and self-reliant people, and repairing the damaged house would have probably been of little real consequence, but we were deeply struck by the light hearted acceptance of the people, contrasting the likely reaction of the western mind to such an occurrence, which in all likelihood would be one of frustrated annoyance, even anger, and most typically accompanied by some expletive or other.

Although it was fairly self-evident, we later confirmed that the Thai term “mai pen rai”, used in this context, is broadly equivalent to the French “c’est la vie” or the spanish “que sera sera”, and we adopted it into our personal vocabulary and still use the expression between ourselves today.

Of course, as is the way with such things, we smilingly walked on and explored or surroundings further and got on with our day and the rest of our holiday, but we never forgot this heart-warming encounter and always retained a lovely memory of the people of the village.

Fourteen years later, we happened to be visiting New York over the Christmas period, and I was standing in Times Square idly scanning the large electronic ‘ticker-tape’ display scrolling news items to the public and stood utterly shocked amid the seemingly oblivious crowds as the unfurling text revealed the horror of the Tsunami, estimating a death toll of some 200,000.

Returning to our hotel, CNN was in full disaster mode and relaying the known facts, and it emerged that Phi Phi, among many other locations in Thailand and beyond had taken a powerful hit. The entire village of Ton Sai had been destroyed by a three metre wave and I was deeply affected as my memory of our time in the village came flooding back with such aching clarity.

Although I never actually knew the people I met there, I felt a profound sadness and could recall each of their faces in startling realism.

Many years have passed since then and Ton Sai, along with other locations so dreadfully affected by this cataclysmic natural event, has been rebuilt and developed far beyond its original simplicity. I have no real issues with development and indeed we have visited and enjoyed Thailand several times since, but have always scrupulously avoided Phi Phi and Ton Sai, which I would now find utterly unrecognisable, simply to preserve what is, to us, a very special and surprisingly vivid memory.

Vincent, England.

Mai Pen Rai

Thirty years ago, in what now seems another age, my wife and I were travelling through Thailand in early 1990, and among the many wonderful and beautiful places we visited was the glorious island of Phi Phi Don.

After spending a few days swimming and lazing on the beach, we took a water taxi to Ton Sai, the main settlement on the island. At that time, Thailand was not nearly as developed as it is now and the houses were typically simple stilted affairs with rattan walls and thatched roofs.

We were wandering through the delightful dappled tropical light of the village, surrounded by coconut palms with Tonsai bay glittering bright blue before us, and were charmed as we smiled at each other at the sight of the small children happily playing in the sand. A few fishermen were working on their nets and it seemed to us then that this was a lovely idyll of tranquil simplicity.

We were suddenly startled as a large coconut fell heavily a few feet in front of us, accompanied by a tearing sound as the falling object ripped the entire corner off the house in front of us.

There is always a ‘frozen moment’ when something unexpected happens and everyone in the vicinity stops and instinctively turn towards the source of disturbance with uncertain and troubled expression hovering upon their faces.

I remember vaguely being slightly shocked at how much damage a coconut could do and what the effect might have been if it had landed on us, when a fisherman who was standing close by looked directly at me, his face relaxing upon comprehension and broke out in a brilliant smile.

“Mai pen rai!” he declared in his native tongue, and all the villagers around us began to laugh and so infectious it was that we found ourselves laughing happily too.

Now, these were undoubtedly skilled and self-reliant people, and repairing the damaged house would have probably been of little real consequence, but we were deeply struck by the light hearted acceptance of the people, contrasting the likely reaction of the western mind to such an occurrence, which in all likelihood would be one of frustrated annoyance, even anger, and most typically accompanied by some expletive or other.

Although it was fairly self-evident, we later confirmed that the Thai term “mai pen rai”, used in this context, is broadly equivalent to the French “c’est la vie” or the spanish “que sera sera”, and we adopted it into our personal vocabulary and still use the expression between ourselves today.

Of course, as is the way with such things, we smilingly walked on and explored or surroundings further and got on with our day and the rest of our holiday, but we never forgot this heart-warming encounter and always retained a lovely memory of the people of the village.

Fourteen years later, we happened to be visiting New York over the Christmas period, and I was standing in Times Square idly scanning the large electronic ‘ticker-tape’ display scrolling news items to the public and stood utterly shocked amid the seemingly oblivious crowds as the unfurling text revealed the horror of the Tsunami, estimating a death toll of some 200,000.

Returning to our hotel, CNN was in full disaster mode and relaying the known facts, and it emerged that Phi Phi, among many other locations in Thailand and beyond had taken a powerful hit. The entire village of Ton Sai had been destroyed by a three metre wave and I was deeply affected as my memory of our time in the village came flooding back with such aching clarity.

Although I never actually knew the people I met there, I felt a profound sadness and could recall each of their faces in startling realism.

Many years have passed since then and Ton Sai, along with other locations so dreadfully affected by this cataclysmic natural event, has been rebuilt and developed far beyond its original simplicity. I have no real issues with development and indeed we have visited and enjoyed Thailand several times since, but have always scrupulously avoided Phi Phi and Ton Sai, which I would now find utterly unrecognisable, simply to preserve what is, to us, a very special and surprisingly vivid memory.

Vincent, England.

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Haivenu has been known to me since 2006, when they coordinated our first trip to Hoa Binh, on a mission to visit the orphanage of my youngest child, Abigail Ngoc Lindsey.

Many years later, Abigail decided she wanted to go in search of her birth mother and so it was that a group of six family members and friends went back to Vietnam in 2019. Owing to the challenges of ensuring all our party could secure the time off work, we booked our trip with little time to spare, but our very skilful tour designer, Thu, arranged a well thought out strategy to accomplish our aims.

Initial enquires through local government offices were frustrating, however, as the typically slow wheels of bureaucracy made it impossible to make the necessary arrangements to locate the family’s whereabouts and secure a visit within our timeframe.

Our Haivenu guide, Vincent Bui, however, turned out to be an amazing sleuth who located the proverbial needle in the haystack easily and discreetly, mixing with the locals for clues. With his help, we managed to locate the village in the Da River area, and journeyed there to visit the family house.

There was some initial apprehension, as we had to be truly sure we had the right family but, after exchanging and comparing stories, Abigail’s birth mother smilingly produced a photograph which she had kept of Abigail as a child.

We had the most wonderful visit on and off for three days and though it was emotionally draining, we soldiered onward to complete the trip and metabolize our luck.

While this would certainly not be a trip for the conflicted adoptee, this young woman is self-assured and has a wonderful adopted life such that this only enlarged her bounty. I was highly apprehensive that the visit be conducted with the highest sensibility and, though we disrupted tribal life temporarily, we have a follow up plan to assure continued connection.

Thankfully, the family was also not in dire straits financially, hence the much better outcome. There couldn’t be a bigger test of professionalism than this journey so well planned and executed by Haivenu. Thank you again. I’m sure we will be back in the coming years.

To learn more about Abigail, please visit her website

Margaret Lindsey, Rochester, New York

Rediscovering Abigail

Haivenu has been known to me since 2006, when they coordinated our first trip to Hoa Binh, on a mission to visit the orphanage of my youngest child, Abigail Ngoc Lindsey.

Many years later, Abigail decided she wanted to go in search of her birth mother and so it was that a group of six family members and friends went back to Vietnam in 2019. Owing to the challenges of ensuring all our party could secure the time off work, we booked our trip with little time to spare, but our very skilful tour designer, Thu, arranged a well thought out strategy to accomplish our aims.

Initial enquires through local government offices were frustrating, however, as the typically slow wheels of bureaucracy made it impossible to make the necessary arrangements to locate the family’s whereabouts and secure a visit within our timeframe.

Our Haivenu guide, Vincent Bui, however, turned out to be an amazing sleuth who located the proverbial needle in the haystack easily and discreetly, mixing with the locals for clues. With his help, we managed to locate the village in the Da River area, and journeyed there to visit the family house.

There was some initial apprehension, as we had to be truly sure we had the right family but, after exchanging and comparing stories, Abigail’s birth mother smilingly produced a photograph which she had kept of Abigail as a child.

We had the most wonderful visit on and off for three days and though it was emotionally draining, we soldiered onward to complete the trip and metabolize our luck.

While this would certainly not be a trip for the conflicted adoptee, this young woman is self-assured and has a wonderful adopted life such that this only enlarged her bounty. I was highly apprehensive that the visit be conducted with the highest sensibility and, though we disrupted tribal life temporarily, we have a follow up plan to assure continued connection.

Thankfully, the family was also not in dire straits financially, hence the much better outcome. There couldn’t be a bigger test of professionalism than this journey so well planned and executed by Haivenu. Thank you again. I’m sure we will be back in the coming years.

To learn more about Abigail, please visit her website

Margaret Lindsey, Rochester, New York

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CORONAVIRUS GETTING YOU DOWN?

With travel bans and lockdowns affecting global travel opportunities, it is heartening to see that many nations are now getting on top of the outbreak.

When all this terrible loss and heartache is finally over, we shall certainly need a holiday! However with so mụch uncertainly over when and how restrictions will be eased, it may seem impossible to lay any plans to cure the frustration of housebound travel dreaming...

FEAR NOT - HELP IS AT HAND!

This web site has a wealth of features to research and plan your next Asian holiday journey in the finest detail, which together with the help of our knowledgeable experts, will be ready to go whenever you are, and all with the assurance of penalty free rescheduling over the next two years.