Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

Our recent journey to Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam was nothing short of extraordinary. Every detail was impeccably planned by our team, and each destination left us with unforgettable memories.

Thailand
We started with two nights in Bangkok, where our local host, Pablo, made the city come alive for us. From indulging in delicious street food to exploring vibrant pop-up markets, he ensured we experienced Bangkok like locals. A highlight was attending a Thai boxing match in the evening, which was such an energetic and cultural treat. Staying along the river was a brilliant choice—avoiding the infamous traffic and soaking in the serene views. We also loved visiting the Jim Thompson House, which was a fascinating dive into Thai history and art.

Laos
From Thailand, we traveled to Luang Prabang, Laos, where we stayed for three incredible nights. Our host, Paan, was so sweet and knowledgeable, giving us deep insights into the local culture. A highlight of this leg was giving alms to the monks at 5am at Paan’s temple—an incredibly humbling and spiritual experience. Another unforgettable moment was the time we spent at the Mandalao Elephant Sanctuary. Walking through the jungle with these magnificent creatures and feeding them was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Our accommodations in Laos were equally impressive, with a serene atmosphere perfect for relaxation. We loved how centrally located our hotel was, making it easy to explore the charming town. Dinner at Paan’s House was another highlight, and meeting her family added such a personal touch to our time in Laos.

Vietnam
Our journey continued in Hanoi, where our animated guide, Mike, made every moment a joy. We adored the food tour, exploring the bustling night scene, and boating through the stunning landscapes of Ninh Binh. A day at Halong Bay was equally breathtaking, offering us a serene escape.

In Hue, our local guide, Sam, took us on a memorable bike ride along the riverbanks, followed by the most incredible lunch with a welcoming local family—the best meal of our entire trip!

Then we drove to Hoi An, where we were enchanted by its charm. New Year’s Eve on the river was magical for the kids, and having custom clothes made in just 24 hours was such a fun experience. An unexpected highlight was reconnecting with a guide from a previous trip during the Jack Tran experience—such a delightful surprise!

We ended our Vietnam adventure in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), which was so dynamic and vibrant. Our last night was spent on a Vespa food tour, and it was such a unique and fun way to experience the city.

Overall
Our travel planners did an incredible job organizing this seamless, multi-country trip. Each guide brought their own unique charm, and our accommodations were all exceptional. The balance of activity, culture, relaxation, and fun was perfect for our family. We cannot thank our team enough for crafting such a magical journey filled with unforgettable moments. Highly, highly recommend!

We just returned from a 15-day vacation spent in Vietnam and Cambodia. Ethan and Sandy created an itinerary that ensured it was one of the most special vacation experiences we have ever had. Their support team and local guides were fabulous.

We had so many fantastic experiences that is difficult to single out one or two. We are so happy that we agreed to the overnight cruise on Ginger on Halong Bay, as I’d questioned the 3-hour round trip drive for one night. The ship was special, the views stunning, and the staff superb. We also enjoyed our rowboat experience through caves and the fjords. Our tour in Hoi An with Jack Tran was a lot of fun…rode our bikes through the country, took a boat ride on the river, went fishing, rode a water buffalo, and learned to paddle a basket boat.

Cambodia was an unexpected delight. Jaya House in Siem Reap, Cambodia was our favorite hotel. There are 36 rooms and the staff were exceptional, making you feel like you were the only people they were serving. The temple complex at Angkor Wat in Cambodia was amazing. We thought we had enough of temples and pagodas in Vietnam, but we are glad we went to Angkor Wat as it was totally different than anything else we saw. Last, but not least, was the Vespa ride experience in Saigon. That was a blast, and we questioned our sanity of this excursion after we saw the traffic in this heavily populated city, but another thing that Ethan and Sandy added that I would have never considered.

I have planned a lot of trips on my own, and there was no way I could have planned anything this special without the help of Ethan and Sandy. Our family will never forget this trip.

Our trip (myself, my husband and our 19-year-old son) to Southeast Asia was beyond amazing. We are very experienced travelers but had never been to this part of the world. Ethan and his team planned a great three-week itinerary covering Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Bangkok. The trip was amazing and truly mind-expanding and adventurous in the best of ways. The hotels were wonderful (particularly Jaya House River Park in Siem Riep, where a daily massage was included and you could drop your dirty laundry into a basket and it would be returned same day) and Four Seasons in Bangkok. All the guides were great, spoke English well, and were very flexible with the itinerary. All practicalities like visas and transportation were handled extremely smoothly.

Vietnam highlights for me were exploring pagodas of Hanoi, cruising Halong Bay, taking a boat into limestone caves in Ninh Binh, wandering the Inperial City in Hue in pouring rain (added to the atmosphere!), wandering the night market in Hoi An all lit up with thousands of lanterns, the amazing museum filled with Cham sculpture and Marble Mountains with caves used by VC. We also had a silly fun day “riding” water buffalos, throwing fishing nets and riding in traditional circular boats. Finally in Saigon we rode on Vespas for an amazing foodie night experience.

In Cambodia we traipsed through ancient temples followed by monkeys and amazed at the beauty of the art. We had a sunrise at Angkor Wat and an afternoon being led by a famous Cambodian archeologist that was simply priceless. In Laos we had an amazing elephant experience that we will remember forever, swam under a waterfall, and saw moon bears at a rescue. We also participated in a sunrise almsgiving to the Buddhist monks and visited many temples. This country is truly different from anything we experienced anywhere else. Our last day in Bangkok was amazing as we were introduced to this vibrant city with its historic wonders like the Grand Palace.

As for advice I would probably suggest people slow down a bit—this was completely our fault as the guides were completely flexible, but everything sounded so interesting and exciting that we kept on the go all the time. I would suggest explicitly reserving a morning or afternoon every other day for relaxation without scheduled activities.

In any case no regrets—we loved it!

We had a wonderful trip across SE Asia—Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia—arranged by a WOW List recommended planner. We usually travel independently, but we realized that for this complex trip in countries where we don’t speak the language, we needed guides and help in creating and implementing the itinerary. What made the company’s approach such a great fit for us is that the “hosts” (guides) on the ground are empowered to change things up to address the interests of the guests. So if we realized at some point that we wanted to see something not originally planned, the hosts were fantastic about making adjustments.

The itinerary Ethan and Sandy planned got us to places we didn’t know anything about that turned out to be highlights of the stay. And the hotels! Every one was unique and wonderful. Here are just a few of the highlights: Watching the sun come up over Angkor Wat (at a perfect location picked by our guide); a 2-night cruise in the stunning Halong Bay; a wild ride on Vespas in Saigon; a deep-dive street food tour in Phnom Penh; meeting and being blessed by a monk in Luang Prabang. I would definitely recommend Ethan and Sandy’s company to anyone traveling in SE Asia—you will not be disappointed.

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