Mr KITCHEN Cameron (Four people, August 20th - August 29th, Big North loop of Vietnam, Motorbiking)From: Cameron Kitchen
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 09:11:29 +1000
Subject: adventure operator
To: talk2us@lonelyplanet.com.au
Hi There,
I am writing to tell you about a new (actually not so new) Motorbike Tour company that operates out of Hanoi.
I met Anh Tuan Nguyen on a 10 day Minsk motorbike trip I did about 4 years ago. I actually went in search of a motorbike tour company that was listed in the Lonely Planet at that time. That company was called Association Bourligue and was run and owned by a French guy named Fredo. Fredo organised a trip that suited us well. We left the next morning for an adventure I will never forget.
That trip was amazing. Our guide for the trip was Anh Tuan Nguyen. We became friends as a result of this great trip and I stayed in touch with him over the years from my home in Australia.
A couple of years ago I received an email from Anh Tuan, he told me that he had left Fredo's company and started his own company called "Voyage Vietnam". He told me that he and a two other guides had left Fredo and that they were doing Minsk, 4wd and other tours through Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos.
This year after working in Norway for the European Summer, my partner and I decided to meet with Anh Tuan again on our way home and do another ride.
It will sound biased coming from someone who says he is a friend, but I was seriously impressed with what Anh Tuan has done. From his website, ( http://www.voyagevietnam.net/eng/6.php ) that is updated daily with photo's of trips in progress, to his office. He also supplies full western standard safety equipment and the bikes are prepared by 'the Minsk Doctor' who's workshop is 5 meters across the road plastered with Voyage Vietnam advertising. That kind of approval from 'the Minsk Doctor' can't be ignored!
Anh Tuan Nguyen possesses formal qualifications in Law and Philosophy. He knows how to open doors to areas not easily accessible in Vietnam. An example of this is Heavens Gate in the North of Vietnam. we rode north through this area and along the Vietnam / China border following the 'Frontier Area' signs. We even stopped at the Vietnam Border Guards residence for lunch on one day! Every where we went he is friends with the local Police and Village Presidents.
Please consider adding this operator to your Vietnam Guidebook for next year. His company is the real thing when it Minsk Tours. Voyage Vietnam's all inclusive rates are unbelievable value, and offer an experience you just can't get anywhere else in Vietnam.
Stop by their office and see for yourself what this professional operation is like, or better, join in on an experience to travel to 'off the tourist trail locations' with one of their Minsk rides. I am more than certain they would love to show you first hand.
Kind Regards,
Cameron Kitchen
You could also read his comments on our tour here.
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