From the moment our Indochina Junk shuttle van pulled into the parking lot until we left the next afternoon, we were absolutely delighted. I was a bit apprehensive about what the experience would be like, as it was my first time to travel outside North America, I didn’t speak the language and I didn’t know how I would hold up in the humidity. I soon learned that I had nothing to worry about. We were in the hands of our guide and interpreter, Gi! She was such a delight and taught us so much about the village, the culture, the plants and more. She met us at the van and took us right to our ‘homestay’ home to meet our host family, Mrs. Men and Mr. Khoa. Mrs. Men greeted us with a welcome tea, showed us to our room and the restroom and gave us a little time to get settled in. The room was at the back of the house, private and very nice. It even had a door which led straight out to the tiled courtyard at the front of the house. The house had a tall privacy fence and a lovely courtyard, which is where we had our meals. The boat cruise company provided a chef, who cooked all of our meals, dinner, breakfast and lunch. There was so much great food to sample!
Gi took us biking through the village to meet some of the local residents, learn how to process rice along with a fish trapping experience and a trip to the local market. It was all quite easy with no pressure, which was great for weary travelers. The pacing was just right for me. We always got a little time to rest and clean up before meals and felt comfortable turning in early, sleeping in, whatever we needed. Gi did a great job of getting our feedback and adjusting the pace whenever needed. It didn’t feel scripted.
After the evening dinner, we were entertained by Mrs. Men’s beautiful singing and also got to help make spring rolls and dessert. Such a great night!
Also, our room was air conditioned and the courtyard was shady, so we were quite comfortable, despite the humid climate.
Our stay in the village was a huge highlight for me during my 5 day stay in Vietnam!
Collection of reviews about Yen Duc village tour, luxury homestay near Ha Long Bay, Vietnam 