David and Hannah’s Asian honeymoon adventure to Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam didn't quite go to plan when shortly before the wedding a medical issue prevented them from travelling.
Luckily, they did still get married and not to be deterred, as soon as they received the go ahead to fly long haul, a year later, we rearranged the special trip...
We were looking to do something memorable for our honeymoon and spend it in Asia in places that neither of us had previously visited, which is how we settled on Cambodia and Vietnam.
The decision to add Singapore to our itinerary stemmed from the flight stopover. We realised there was an opportunity for David to revisit somewhere he had spent a lot of time many years ago. For me, it was a chance to finally see the places he had talked about so much.
We stayed at The Clan, a modern and luxurious hotel conveniently located near Marina Bay, which was perfect for exploring the city. Singapore proved to be an ideal stopover destination for us - clean, safe, excellent public transport, and offering just the right mix of culture to ease us into our travels.
Next, we travelled to Siem Reap in Cambodia, our base for visiting the incredible temple complex at Angkor Wat. We loved this beautiful place - relaxed and great fun - and had some of the most memorable moments of our holiday here.
A sunset cocktail cruise at Angkor Thom and watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat were simply magical, and we fell in love with Cambodia based on those two experiences alone.
The local guides we had throughout the trip were fantastic, with Ros Sovann in Cambodia being particularly wonderful - so knowledgeable, gentle, professional and entertaining. He was also the king of finding 'the money shot' for our photographs!
We began our journey through Vietnam with a couple of nights in Hanoi before heading to Halong Bay for an overnight cruise with Orchid Cruises.
They truly spoiled us onboard, celebrating not only our honeymoon but also Hannah's birthday.
The neon lights, novelty sunglasses, and the giant sparkler in the cake (which was big enough to share with the rest of the passengers!) were great fun.
In fact, each hotel throughout the trip acknowledged our special occasions in their own way - with fruit, chocolates, cake and room decorations. Everyone made us feel very special indeed.
We sailed through limestone karsts and local fishing villages, enjoying fabulous food and kayaking in the bay. Our cabin was gorgeous, and the whole experience felt very luxurious and like a real treat.
Experiencing a rail journey on the famous Reunification Express route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City was also on our wish list. We travelled as far as Hue on an overnight train, which was enjoyable, but we were very glad to have a guide with us as we would have struggled on our own.
It was a bit of a bun fight to get onto the train, and from what we gathered, not as straightforward as even the guide expected it to be!
Hoi An is a lovely UNESCO town in the heart of the Vietnam coastline, and we enjoyed a relaxing few days there. The people are very friendly, and a highlight of our trip was taking part in a cooking class.
The food throughout Asia is full of interesting and varied flavours, and 'morning glory' (a green, spinach-like vegetable) stir-fried with garlic became a firm favourite dish - simple but so good!
Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as most people still call it, was an assault on the senses after our downtime in Hoi An. Sarah recommended that we take a nighttime Vespa tour through the city’s frenetic streets. We whizzed through the alleys pillion-style, experiencing local life and enjoying some delicious street food.
As much as we loved the culture and seeing many different places, the time came for some real relaxation. So, we flew to Phu Quoc Island for a glorious stay at Cassia Cottage.
This small boutique hotel, a former spice trader's retreat, was a complete antidote to the rest of our trip. Relaxing and calm, we spent our days by the pool and enjoyed some fabulous seafood - the perfect end to our Asia adventure.
Having Sarah organise our trip gave us immense peace of mind. When the original holiday needed to be completely re-arranged at the last minute due to a medical issue, she guided us through the far from straightforward insurance claim process and then re-booked everything.
She adjusted flights when schedules changed and double-checked everything in terms of visas, passport validity and more.
She made organising a complex itinerary a real breeze for us, and we knew that if we encountered any issues while there, she was always contactable and would be straight on it!
Thank you, Sarah. Your help and hard work were invaluable and hugely appreciated.
