Kayla Mahon

Before I started my career as a Travel Agent I had never even thought about traveling with a tour group. I always thought it was too expensive or that I wouldn’t be able to see all of the things that I wanted to see, or stop where I wanted to stop because of the itineraries. After experiencing my first On the Go tour through Vietnam, I was hooked. I enjoy both types of travel but after having everything laid out for me and not having to worry about trying to get from point A to B, especially when I do not speak the language, was a relaxing exploration. Sometimes the adventure of trying to figure your way around a city, the transportation, where the little shops are that are not in the tourist book, using hand signals and facial expressions to try to communicate with someone who does not speak the same language as you is part of the journey. However, sometimes all those little unique add ons that come with a tour are very special. I travelled to Vietnam by myself, my first time flying alone, and was met right outside the airport by my transportation to my first hotel in Hanoi. I arrived at my hotel and was able to get myself all settled in before meeting another traveller and going out to explore a bit of Hanoi while others were arriving through out the day. We spent time in Hanoi, exploring the markets, restaurants and shops. After a few days we headed for Halong Bay, which I would highly, highly recommend doing if you are traveling to Vietnam. We were aboard a junk boat for the night and it was one my favourite experiences; we had a wonderful dinner, got Thai massages, woke up at sunrise to do Tai Chi on the deck as the sun rose around us, swam in the ocean, kayaked through hidden caves and so much more. We then headed to the train station and took an overnight train, which was quite the experience (bring earplugs!) and spent time exploring temples and dining at unique hidden restaurants. 

We departed Hue and headed for Hoi Ann, another favourite of mine. Hoi An is a small area of cobblestone streets, with a river running through it, and some of the best custom made clothing in the world. I was so happy to have 3 whole days to see the night markets, taste so many of the restaurants that lined the streets and just slow down and enjoy my new found heaven. While in Hoi An, we rented bicycles and trekked through the countryside to a small farm where we helped plant herbs, and cooked our own lunches with fresh food. It was such a nice touch to be able to help out and cook our own fresh food with the help of a chef. We actually had to cook our lunch and then have someone throw it in the air (with their back turned to us) and we had to catch it! Ofcourse, I was the only one who dropped my lunch all over the outdoor kitchen floor (see my Instagram video (@kaylamahontravel) to see me drop food everywhere!). 

Later that day and for the rest of my time in Hoi An, I walked around in the markets, sat by the ocean and explored and tasted as much as I could. The food there is so delicious and there are many options. One night we found some little girls who were selling lanterns with a candle and their mom was in the river on a little boat. They told us we could have a lantern and take a boat ride down the canal and make a wish with our lanterns and light them and our wish would come true. Experiencing another culture and learning what other people believe is such a wonderful way to get to know a city or a country. We made our wishes and then strolled back along the streets and watched the shows taking place. 

Our last stop was Saigon, where we cruised along the Mekong Delta and were able to observe the floating markets. Boats were lined throughout the river selling fruits, drinks, bags, anything you can think of! We stopped for lunch at a restaurant in the jungle and saw some temples. Our last day was spent in Saigon exploring the busy city. 

Tours are a great way to have everything arranged for you and to experience things you may not be able to do on your own but still have some independence. Your bus ride/train ride/tuktuk ride/etc. is arranged for you and you are shown many things but you also have free time to explore on your own and see things that may not be on the itinerary.  

Seek adventure and explore - Kayla