vietnam family fun
Any trip that helps preserve “family travel sanity” is bound to get a thumbs up. Intrepid traveller Elaine Phelan explains why Vietnam proved to be her family favourite…
“I can tell you our Vietnam Family Adventure will stay with us a lifetime. We travelled from north to south, which was great because we experienced the nice juxtaposition of travelling from the culture shock, crowds and chaos of Hanoi to the modern, exciting Ho Chi Minh with its wide boulevards, French Quarter and culture.
From the north to the south the people are amazingly natural, the scenery unspoilt, the history horrible and fascinating at the same time, and the food WOW! There were four families (2 from Australia, 1 from New Zealand, 1 from UK) in our group and 7 children, aged 6-16 years. From the moment the kids met they stuck together like glue and had a ball. Even when there were optional activities the kids – because they were so close – wanted to do everything together.
I have 2 teens, 14 and 16, and for any parent of teens I can tell you this is a great option for family travel sanity. There is no conflict over what time you get up, what you do, where you go, because it’s all mapped out and led by someone else! They have a little independence and they are not with their parents all the time, but you are still together as a family, having fun, and having unique experiences. There’s also power in a group of parents!
Our tour guide Bien was one of the major reasons we enjoyed our trip – he was so knowledgeable, so accommodating and had everything organised to a tee. As you travel through Vietnam you realise how little people speak English then you really appreciate your own guide. He was fantastic!
We had no sickness, all went smoothly – it was a great experience. Vietnam is an amazing place to visit – have a look at the Intrepid trip notes, do a bit of research about the places you want to visit, then do it!”
Tour Vietnam with Intrepid on trips like these great small group adventures:
Vietnam Family Adventure – 15 days
Vietnam Unplugged – 15 days
* photo by Elaine Phelan
It was wonderful to read about your experiences. I plan on taking my 9 year old son with me to Vietnam with Intrepid in 2011 and stories such as yours reassure me on so many different levels. Thanks so much for taking the time to contribute to the blog.
I’m planning a trip to Vietnam right now. I’m going on my own, but it felt good to know it’s a place you could bring the whole family!
thanks for your story. My husband and I have done quite a bit of travelling ourselves, but its the first time we are taking our kids on a travelling holiday as such. Its been a great help when deciding on whether to try and do it ourselves, or to choose to do it through Intrepid to not only keep our sanity, but ensure we all get to experience Vietnam and not just be part of a bus load of tourists!!
I am booked to take my 15 year old son and 11 year old daughter on the Vietnam family adventure later this year 2010 so it is great to hear such wonderful reports of your experience. I must admit that I have been feeling a little anxious about what to expect so I appreciate your encouraging input. Thank you.