Thoi Son Island -kierrokset

Incredible little tour of Mekong Delta River, thanks to the tour guide Ryan, who is considerate and interesting. Vey fulfilling journey, went to visit coconut candy factory and a temple, tried honey tea, listened to local music while tasting local fruit, and took the boat on the Mekong Delta river. Recommend it :)

Mekong-joen ja sen kanavien risteily on superrentouttava, ja luonto on upea valokuvien ottamiseen. Rakastin kokemusta luonnosta, käärmeestä, kaloista, krokotiileista, ja oli todella mukavaa nähdä, miten kookoksesta valmistetaan tuotteita ja jopa rommia! Muistakaa kuitenkin ottaa mukaan, mitä retkelle suositellaan (erityisesti aurinkoa ja mukavuutta varten veneissä). Eräs nainen oli sandaaleissa, jotka olivat liukkaat, ja hän melkein kaatui noustessaan pieneen veneeseen. Tämä on loistava retki irrottautua arjesta ja nauttia päivästä kiireettömästi!

This full-day excursion was such a blast and easily one of the highlights of our trip! We had an amazing time exploring both the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta. Everything was well organized, informative, and fun, and we felt safe and comfortable throughout the entire day. There were so many little experiences included along the way. We had multiple food tastings, rest stops, and plenty of opportunities to grab coffee, snacks, and souvenirs without ever feeling rushed or pressured. At the Mekong Delta, we especially loved trying the different coconut samples and seeing how coconut is used in so many different ways. Our tour guide, Johnny, was amazing! He was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the entire experience enjoyable He kept the day engaging from start to finish. I would absolutely recommend this tour to tourists or anyone interested in learning more about Vietnamese history, culture, and local life. You get to experience so much in one day, and it was 100% worth it!

Since I was staying in an apartment rather than a hotel, I made my own way to the pickup location. There were many similar vehicles and large buses at the pickup spot, so I wandered around for a while, not knowing which car I was supposed to take. The guide got out of the car, looked at the voucher, and recognized me, but since I arrived before the guide did, it would be helpful if the vehicle license plate number could be provided in advance the day before. David was the best guide; he took good care of everyone in our group, explained things thoroughly, and made sure we had good meals. We stopped at souvenir shops and other places during the tour, but there was no pressure or awkwardness if we didn't buy anything. In addition to meals, before taking the small boat across the Mekong River, we were able to stop at a place where we could eat fruit and rest for a bit. It was the rainy season, so it rained on and off, but David managed the schedule well so that it didn't cause any major disruptions. At the Cu Chi Tunnels, we even went inside the tunnels. It was educational regarding the Vietnam War, and his explanations were very engaging. For long and difficult explanations, he used translation apps tailored to the Korean and Chinese tourists to help us understand carefully. He truly was the best guide.

This was my second tour of Thoi Son Island in the Mekong Delta, and once again, having a Japanese-speaking guide was incredibly helpful and informative for a Japanese person like me. Last time, I joined an English tour and was so focused on understanding the language that I couldn't fully enjoy myself. This tour's guidance is consistently provided in Japanese by a local guide. For the outbound journey, they pick you up at your hotel, but for the return, you can choose from several drop-off locations, including Ben Thanh Market. On Thoi Son Island, local workers may ask tourists for tips, but we were informed beforehand that we are not obligated to pay. There are so many unique experiences that you can't have in Japan, such as seeing beehives, interacting with pythons, and tasting fruits, royal jelly, and coconut water. I never get tired of it, no matter how many times I go. For lunch, we enjoy specialty dishes from My Tho City, and I believe they all suit the Japanese palate. Please note that while the food is included in the price, beverages are at your own expense. Beyond the numerous experiences unavailable in Japan, the Japanese-language guidance and the opportunity to travel with many other Japanese participants (which minimizes cultural gaps in group activities) are, I believe, the greatest hospitality for Japanese attendees. This tour does not involve the aggressive sales tactics often found with major travel agencies. While the Japanese-speaking tour costs more than the relatively popular English tours, I considered it a necessary investment for myself to enjoy Vietnam more fully.

Honestly, I thought our tour guide yesterday was already really good. But then Kelvin became our tour guide, and I was like, “Wow, okay, he’s definitely my new standard for tour guides!” 😂 You definitely won’t get bored the entire trip with him. We learned so much, and he was genuinely so fun to be around—you’ll definitely find yourself laughing because of him! He was also super helpful whenever we had questions, and he could spot us so quickly in the crowd. He constantly checked on us to make sure we were okay. He also insisted on taking videos and photos of us, which was such a nice touch! He was very approachable and made us feel comfortable throughout the whole tour. Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this tour, especially if you get Kelvin as your guide! He really made the whole experience so much more enjoyable. 100000000/10! ⭐️😂

Nautimme tästä retkestä todella paljon, erityisesti upean oppaamme Puonin ansiosta. Hän oli niin ystävällinen, kannustava ja huomaavainen, otti aina kuvia puolestamme ja jakoi hyödyllisiä vinkkejä tehdäkseen vierailustamme Ho Chi Minh Cityssä entistäkin paremman. He jopa yllättivät tätini laulamalla "Hyvää syntymäpäivää", mikä teki kokemuksesta erityisen. Retki sujui ongelmitta, vaikka olikin sunnuntai, ja rakastimme ruokaa, musiikkia, eläimiä, veneretkeä ja ainutlaatuisia kokemuksia. Muutamaa äreää kookoskarkkimyyjää lukuun ottamatta kaikki olivat ystävällisiä. Muista ottaa vettä mukaan, sillä voi tulla melko kuuma. Suosittelemme tätä retkeä lämpimästi, erityisesti jos Puon on oppaanasi!

Ho Chi Minhissa oli tähän aikaan keskellä sadekauden, ja olin huolissani rankkasateista. Kuitenkin, koska Mekongin suisto -kierroksen ja Cu Chin tunnelien järjestykset vaihdettiin, ja ruuhkat sekä rankkasateet vältettiin, pystyin nauttimaan kierroksesta ilman rankkasateita lukuun ottamatta Cu Chin tunnelien loppua. Jos Mekongin suisto -kierros, Cu Chin tunnelit ja kaupunkibussin iltakierros sisältyvät kaikki tähän hintaan, mielestäni se on erittäin kustannustehokas. Jos etsit japaninkielistä kierrosta, tämä on ainoa vaihtoehto!

Kaikki oli hauskaa. Opas oli erittäin informatiivinen. Suosittelen.