Rider Testimonials

Helen and I just wanted to say ‘Thank you’! We had an absolutely fantastic time on our trip through the North-East. It’s been one of the best things we’ve ever done. I also wanted to point out that your pre-trip customer service was exceptional and no question appeared too much.

Another very big ‘Thank you’ goes to the guide and since I don’t have his email perhaps you can send him my regards. He has been amazing, calm, helpful, attentive and everything was just ‘no problem’.

Hope we get the time and chance to do another trip in the future. The North-West & Laos sounds very tempting. We shall see.

Just got back from our trip and wanted to write and tell you that we had the most amazing time. The guide was a lovely lovely bloke and a great guide. We got to do so much stuff that we would never ever have done without him – we stopped and got fresh sugar cane juice and sticky rice cooked in bamboo. We visited a chop stick factory and had tea with lots and lots of locals (all totally bemused by Charlie’s dreadlocks – he now knows the phrase for ‘real hair’ (toc that)).
Plus the scenery was stunning and he took really good care of us, always stopping to make sure we were ok and so we could take photos.
In fact, everything about our trip with Explore Indochina has been great, from organising it, even at short notice, to meeting you and getting our gear, to hanging out with Glenn, Cuong and the others.
Just wanted to add that when we booked it, I wasn’t sure that a puny little 125 would be big enough for both of us and all our stuff. I’m now so glad that we took your advice and went with the Minsk.
There’s no way that a Ural could have gone some of the places we went and the Minsk was perfect for Vietnam traffic.
Thank you so much – maybe we’ll be back one day to ride with the Minsk Club of Hanoi again…
PS. If it’s ok with you, Charlie’s going to wax-lyrical to the uk bike-forum he often writes on about your tours!

Kind-hearted people, deep rooted traditions, and a culture that is one of the most rich and interesting ones that I have ever witnessed.  That is what we experience biking along the northern borders of Vietnam.  It was exhilarating, exhausting, nauseating,and intriguing all at the same time and I would recommend that anyone who has the time take advantage of a tour like this.

Sorry for the late reply!

It was awesome, loved it. The guide was a great guy. Was exactly what I was after. I took a heap of pics and videos (strapped my camera to the handlebars of the bike).

I’d love to do a similiar trip again or the Laos to Viet border(Ho Chi Min trail) trip we talked about. If your planning on doing something like that in the future, can you let me know? Would even do it again if it was a similar “find new treks” type trip again…just gotta convince a few friends to spend the money and come with!

Jochen is making up a video of the trip using all the video footage.

Well we made it back to the States. I just wanted to thank you both again for putting together such an amazing tour. It was by far one of the most amazing experiences I have had to date.
To the guide goes a big thanks for showing us some kick ass areas and for getting my ass through all that damn mud!
Everyone at school has been asking us about the trip and our stories blow everyone away. Hopefully we will be able to reunite on another ride one day. Until then all the best to all of you.

The third time is a charm! Having explored the middle road in 2001,I had to return after an interim “roof ride”.
This time my wife and friends accompanied. The experience and treatment by Explore Indochina only improves each time around.The roads are certainly improved and the guides as usual were exemplary.
The quiet unobtrusive care that was provided certainly captured my wife’s-a relatively new rider-attention and affection.
As usual the scenery and people along the way were beautiful, the food was excellent and the bikes were, how can I say,”Minsks”! Thanks to the guides for a wonderful experience.
We will be back for more at a later date.

The guide went out of his way to act as a translator and to assist with repairs of the bike. He stands out in his ability to relate to and develop relationships with the local peoples in these areas. While on these trips he took along with him photos that he had taken on other expeditions to give to the local peoples. The relationships that he has cultivated through his multiple contacts with local people clearly paid dividends for me while on my trip. He is an asset to your organization and an ambassador of Vietnamese culture.

Hello guys!!!
It’s now a bit over a month since we got back from our vacation in Vietnam and we’re still not used to being back here.
We’ve been planning to write you and tell you what we liked best about our ride with you – the scenery, the great guides, the superb food, the smiles, the belorussian beasts or the great guys who joined us. We couldn’t come up with an adequate description, so we’d just like to thank you for the time of our lives! This trip has been life changing.
We’ll be back for another ride, but I guess you knew that anyway.