Gecko's Adventures

  Geckos was originally recommended to me by a family friend. Since going on one of their tours not only have I often recommended them to others but also have many stories to share. Here I thought I would do both. I spent 3 weeks on a Geckos tour in South East Asia, travelling from Vietnam through Cambodia and ending in Thailand.

With a maximum of 16 people Geckos has all the benefits of group travel however remains personal and flexible. My tour ranged from 8 to 12 people. Each new destination saw people either leave or join us and with tours ranging from a few days right up to a month or two there all always people coming and going. With each new city you get the option to either have your own room (small additional cost) or share with a member of your group so there is always opportunity to get to know new people.

The majority of your meals are usually included (breakfast and some lunches) but your main meal is usually out of your own pocket. We used this to our advantage and spent each night somewhere different trying new foods and the local beer. Our tour guides were great, not only would they suggest somewhere good to eat they would usual join us too. We would usual go out as a group, order a variety of dishes to share amongst us all and then make our way to a night market or local bar – at $3 a beer it would be rude not to!

All the must see sights are included in the tour cost. Any additional activities are usual available at an extra fee. When in the Angkor Watt temple complex all the main temples were included (include a sunrise and sunset visit) but there was also the option to go on a hot air balloon or an elephant ride. We arrived at the complex around 5am for sunrise and were greeted by young children willing to guide you to the temple with a torch and then f ix you up with a chair and hot chocolate when you got there – all for a small fee. Word of warning – there are ‘beggars’ everywhere, mostly in the form in children offering fruit or to take your picture but then asking for a dollar or two in return. When crossing one of the borders there were some children with tarantulas offering to let them crawl on us whilst they took our picture, the only catch being we had to buy some bananas off of them – nothing too much but just something to be aware of.

When entering a new country we were met by a new guide. Having someone who spoke the native language was really helpful. It was great to have some local advice on which flee market to go to or help explain the contents of a certain dish. The border crossings were also made a lot easier by having someone assist you in filling the correct form and speed up the visa process. When on the Vietnamese/Cambodian border I could have sworn I saw the guide slip some cash inside my passport – not that I was complaining I got through with no issues! Another thing to watch out for is the border guards. One minute their checking your passport the next their trying to sell you some local currency for a hugely inflated price.

Transport is another worry that is taken care of. The majority of our inter-city or inter–country travelling was done by some form of minibus. In Vietnam the rail network is quite extensive and the overnight train was also included. We had a boat ride in Bangkok included and a rather scary ‘cyclo’ ride through Saigon. I cannot think of a word to describe the traffic in Vietnam. The majority of vehicles are some form of motorbike or scooter. It is absolutely mind blowingly crazy, with a side dish fantastic. It’s surreal. Its one of those things that you can’t describe to someone who hasn’t been there. Renting a scooter is highly unadvisable in many guidebooks but wow is it fun! If you do choose to use some form of taxi or tuk tuk I would strongly recommend bartering -always arrange a price before you get in.

What I most enjoyed was the friendly atmosphere. There is a really good balance between travelling on your own and being part of a group. When I arrived in Vietnam the group had already been together for over a week and initially I was slightly apprehensive. However after some introductions we all went out for dinner and I soon felt welcome. The unique thing is the group numbers are constantly varying. With so many tours operating for different lengths of time there are always people coming and going midway through. Before leaving Vietnam we parted with some of our group before heading over the border to Cambodia and meeting some more newcomers. One particular night in Phnom Penh started with a ‘quiet’ meal and ended around 4am. Not the greatest idea when the next day consisted over an 8 hour drive to the Thai border – got to be the worst drive of my life!

For such good prices and with great frequent traveller deals Geckos are very hard to beat. Their tours are very comprehensive and extremely safe. They strike a great balance between independent travelling and a social group experience. Now everything stated here was from my own personal experience and so details may differ depending on which country or tour. However what won’t change is the fact that it’s a great way to see a new country and make new friends. Go ahead and try it for yourself.