I’m hosting an unforgettable 17-day trip to Vietnam in October in conjunction with Wendy Wu Tours and I’d love to have you join me! For NZ $7380 per person, you get all your flights (departing Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch), all your hotels, all your meals and all your activities. Here’s why I’m such a massive fan of Vietnam and why it would be so special having you as part of this tour. Click here for full itinerary and booking info – thanks so much and hope to see you in ‘Nam!
Why To Join Me In Vietnam:
Xin Chao!
I first fell for the charms of Vietnam when I spent a couple of weeks exploring the country from Hanoi and Halong Bay in the north through to Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta in the south back in 2008. It was early in the days of Vietnam opening up to international tourism, but you could already see why so many people from all over the world were intrigued by this beautiful land.
For a start, it is just that. Supremely beautiful. Jungle-draped limestone peaks jutting dramatically out of seas dotted with old Chinese junk boats; cascading tiers of rice fields; centuries old temples aside gorgeous French colonial architecture; endless miles of golden sand beaches; idyllic, historic shophouses; women in conical hats selling colourful produce – Vietnam really is visually stunning.
It’s also living history lesson about the tragedy of war, the resilience of people, and a proud culture that dates back many, many centuries. It can be chaotic, yes. But it’s the right kind of chaotic! It’s an addictive energy as well as an optimism for life which is infectious. And Vietnam has for years now been one of the fastest growing economies in the world with gleaming skyscrapers and international-standard hotels and hospitals.
As for the food, quite simply, it’s some of the best you’ll find anywhere on the planet. So expect to eat well on this tour!
As your host, my attitude is that I’m always up for seeing what’s around that corner, what’s down that street, what the view is like on top of that hill, and what’s behind that door. I love nothing more than showing people my favourite hidden spots, and sharing in the joys of swapping tales from past and present travels. A natural storyteller and people-person, I will go out of my way to make sure you are having the most positive and memorable holiday.
On this tour you can expect to meet like-minded people who travel with an open heart and a belief that life is better when we are inquisitive, are willing to learn from other cultures, and a conviction that the right kind of tourism shouldn’t just be beneficial to us, but to the people and the environments we encounter. And if free time to do your own thing is important to you on holiday, don’t worry, there can be plenty of that too.
We’ll be accompanied by Wendy Wu’s best tour guides throughout the trip, giving us access to many incredible experiences that are unique to Wendy Wu Tours.
It would be such a privilege – and so much fun – to have you on this hosted tour with me. See you in October!
Cảm ơn bạn rất nhiều,
Tim Roxborogh
Itinerary:
Days 1-2: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Day 3: Discover Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Day 4: Mekong Delta
Day 5: Journey to Hoi An
Day 6: Hoi An cooking class
Day 7: Hoi An free day
Day 8: Imperial Hue
Day 9: Fly to Hanoi
Day 10: Drive to Sapa
Days 11-12: Sapa
Day 13: Mount Fansipan – Hanoi
Day 14: Overnight Halong Bay cruise
Day 15: Return to Hanoi
Days 16-17: Fly Hanoi to New Zealand
Highlights From The Tour:
• Explore the bustling alleyways, French colonial buildings and modern skyscrapers of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Learn sobering war history at the War Remnants Museum, the Reunification Palace and the Cu Chi Tunnels
• Paddle the canals of the Mekong Delta
• Discover local culinary secrets with a cooking class in Hoi An
• Witness Hoi An’s world-renowned tailors as they make-to-order any clothes you desire
• Step back in time in the royal city of Hue with its centuries-old tombs, gardens, temples and pagodas
• Ride a bicycle rickshaw through the maze of streets of Hanoi’s charming Old Quarter
• Hike through cascading rice terraces and meet hill tribes in postcard-perfect Sapa
• Take an overnight cruise on a Chinese junk boat through the stunning limestone peaks of Halong Bay
Book Now!
About Tim Roxborogh:
2024 marked Tim Roxborogh’s 25th year in media having worked across radio and TV, as well as being one of New Zealand’s most published travel and music writers with over 500 articles. With a childhood spent in Malaysia that fostered a lifelong love of exploring the world and meeting new people, Tim’s articles have taken him throughout New Zealand and across the globe.
Be it dodging kangaroos in the Australian Outback, climbing volcanoes in Indonesia, or cycling through the South of France, Tim has done it. So too dog-sled riding in the Oregon snow, swashbuckling through jungle in the Solomon Islands and staying in a crumbling palace in India. Then there’s snorkelling in a Mexican cave, finding paradise on a deserted Malaysian island and temple hopping in Cambodia. Or climbing the Great Wall Of China, driving the Florida Keys in a convertible Mustang and visiting the site in Memphis where Martin Luther King was assassinated. Not to mention teaching English in a remote Guatemalan village, sleeping on a Chinese junk boat in Vietnam and running the world’s slowest half-marathon in the Cook Islands!
For Tim, travel is an itch that can never be scratched and he’s always looking forward to the next adventures, making new connections and creating new memories.
Away from travel, Tim is a top-rated radio announcer whose voice can be heard weekly on New Zealand’s number one radio station, Newstalk ZB, as well as regularly on the music formats Coast and Gold. His TV credits include appearances on TVNZ’s Breakfast and Seven Sharp programmes, cricket commentary for TVNZ and Sky Sport and co-hosting his own travel series ‘Uncharted’ (2021-2022).
Tim was an Associate Producer on the first two seasons of the international ‘Izzy & Beaver’ travel series starring the former All Blacks Israel Dagg and Stephen Donald (2023), and he worked as an advisor on the 6x Emmy-nominated documentary ‘Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart’ (2020) as well as the 2023 Kennedy Center Honors in Washington DC.
A 2x NZ Radio Award Winner including alongside former Commodores’ bassist Ronald LaPread for their weekly ‘All About Soul’ radio show (2007-2009), Tim has interviewed many of the biggest names in music, such as Barry Gibb, Burt Bacharach, John Mayer, The Chicks, Lionel Richie, Backstreet Boys, Cliff Richard, Duran Duran, Brian Wilson, Meat Loaf, George Benson, Fleetwood Mac, Hall & Oates, David Crosby, Diane Warren and Sheryl Crow.
Outside of media, Tim lives in West Auckland and is married to the wonderful Aimee. Together they are raising a new generation of keen travellers with Riley (5) and Austin (1).
