Highlights of Style with Cindy Vietnam Tour 2015
Wow is the best way to describe my last ten days in Vietnam.
I hope you’ve been enjoying our photos and updates– we’ve had as much fun as those pictures indicate.
This client focused style trip has been in the works for a while. I’ve always dreamed of taking Style with Cindy followers to an exotic destination to relax and shop.
I’m also delighted to say that our first trip has exceeded all of my expectations and then some.
Naturally, just because you couldn’t be here doesn’t mean you should miss out. So today I’ve posted a day-by-day review of our Style with Cindy trip to Vietnam.
I hope you enjoy it and perhaps might be able to join us next time. (Yes, there will be a next time!)
Day 1
So I arrived a couple of days before the crew to do a quick review of Ho Chi Minh City leaving the flight and arrival of the tour in Lacey’s capable hands.
Following a two hour flight delay, the group arrived at the Duxton Hotel with welcome drinks and a divine dinner at a local restaurant.
Our group was a great dynamic of husbands and wives, singles, mother and daughter, sisters and friends. It was quite perfect if I say so myself.
We settled in for the night to prepare for a day touring the city’s rich culture.
Day 2
The day began on foot with a walking tour directed by our guide Hoi, through Ho Chi Minh’s historic sights including Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum. We also made our way through the amazing Binh Tay Wholesale market.
Lunch was a variety of traditional Vietnamese dishes at a restaurant with a wonderful view of the main boulevard in Ho Chi Minh City followed by an afternoon of pampering and massages.
I found a wonderful local beauty place for many massages that I was happy to support and it certainly bumped up their business over the next couple of days.
The day closed with sky-high drinks overlooking a breathtaking Ho Chi Minh city. There is something about their French Colonial architecture that is so beautiful, I must say we really did have some fun in this bar!!!!
Day 3
This was the day we were all waiting for.
Shops, shops and more shops with the relaxing reward of a massage in the afternoon.
One of the days highlights, so I was told many times later, was the Ben Thanh Market. We also indulged in Pho for lunch, a famous delicious Vietnamese noodle dish.
While the ladies shopped, two of the husbands on the tour went to the military Chi Chi tunnels, shooting ranges and ate crickets! (EEEEEK!)
That evening we had the most amazing night with a buffet dinner and cruise along Saigon River. Sensational!
Day 4
We all rose early to catch a flight at Da Nang airport where we were met by our extremely witty and entertaining guide, Ming.
With informative (And ridiculously funny) commentary along the way, we took a short bus ride to Hoi An and checked in at the most incredible hotel – Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort.
Lunch was at local restaurant – Miss Ly’s- and then Lacey and I set off to do tailor recon while the group embarked on a walking tour through the ancient town. I must just add, for this time of year the humidity was quite high, so most of us girls had our hair up almost daily!!!
Before dinner, Lacey and I squeezed in another massage (when in Vietnam) and met our wonderful group for some local fine dining.
Day 5
Let the tailoring begin.
Enter 17 style enthusiasts eager to re-create their most coveted items. It was quite a fun and interesting process but also an intensive day as we worked with tailors to customise new pieces for our wardrobes.
The evening was free to explore at your own leisure. A few of us attend a local restaurant with incredibly good food and that was ridiculously affordable. AU$60 for dinner and drinks for seven! Not sure I could even buy seven chai lattes in Melbourne at that price 🙂
Like a scene out of a movie, we walked the night markets and awed at the canals and lanterns that illuminated the streets. There were two black outs in 30 minutes which was also interesting!
Day 6
I keep using the word highlight, but there are so many. The next one was a trip with a local guide around the Hoi An market followed by a boat cruise to play master chef at the Red Bridge Restaurant & Cooking School.
Was quite a fun day and we ate ourselves into a food coma. Yum! I mean yummy! We were advised that “yum” in Vietnamese translates to a word that means, “sexually excited”. Given, we were excited about the food – but not that excited 🙂 I must just add here that to me personally, this day was a trip highlight even though I had an off tummy, I just loved it!
Day 7
Oh… a day of leisure.
Some went on the Taste of Asia tour while others relaxed by the pool or shopped until their hearts were content.
Day 8
A few of us went to renowned day spa, Na Spa and boy it was mind-blowing!
After our three hours of pampering, the staff surprised as with a lunch on a beautiful terrace overlooking the rice paddocks. The food was a local dish that is a bowl of thick yellow noodles accompanied with a very refreshing mango and banana smoothie.
I forgot my credit card in the blur of relaxation so without haste, Lacey bravely took to a scooter and made her way back to get it. Yes, she survived and was beaming from the experience.
In the evening, we all had scheduled fittings at the hotel and I was absolutely delighted with the accuracy and quality of the tailoring at our first fitting.
As we were the last to leave after all the alterations, Lacey, Cal and I went to a tiny family run local restaurant Cao Cao which we found through Trip Advisor. The food was soooooo beautiful and the family could not do enough to help us, once again it was just so cheap and they even extended happy hour for us.
Many of the group visited a waterfront restaurant and enjoyed a 10 course seafood dining experience which only cost them AU$13 each! I had to laugh at some of the comments from the group the next morning, they could not believe the amount of food they ate for the price. I wish I had been there as it sounded like way too much fun!
Day 9
Another day free at leisure.
There was an abundance of massages, tailor visits, shopping and pool time for the group to prep themselves for the journey home.
We finished the day with final alterations at the hotel and then it was off to pack our bags! I’m sure many of us spent it trying to squeeze our new items into our luggage!
Being our last evening together, we dined at the well-known Morning Glory. It’s a gorgeous restaurant in the historic town over looking the river and night market. It was the perfect end to an incredible trip.
And what an amazing group of people! If you’re reading this – thanks for coming along and making our first shopping and relaxation tour a HUGE success.
I was pleasantly overwhelmed by the energy, fun, enthusiasm and incredible kindness and general niceness of every single person and am already missing them all!
As for the tailoring, well personally I have 23 new additions to my wardrobe. Some are replicas and some are completely new designs. I am so impressed with the outcome that I was a little disappointed I did not have more made!
We have loved this experience so much that we have decided to make it an annual Style with Cindy event on the calendar!
Yes, Vietnam again next year and then other destinations from then on.
Pencil it in now everyone for the end of May/early June 2016 with more details coming soon.
I hope you enjoyed today’s post and that you are inspired enough that you just might join us next year.
Oh – I love Vietnam!!!!!!!!
P.S. More pictures below 🙂
Christine says
It looks like you had such an amazing time Cindy. I may have to join you next time 😉
Cindy Newstead says
We all had a fantastic time Chrissy! Would love to have you join us next year :):)
Liz Newton says
Looks like such an amazing trip – count me in for next year!!
Cindy Newstead says
It certainly was amazing Liz!
We will have the details and release bookings for next years trip within the next 4 weeks but if you want to secure a spot then call the office on 0407 851 584 as we already have a few that were on this trip want to come again next year, I have a feeling it will book out quickly 🙂 Great you are wanting to come!!!!
Sue says
Loved the photo’s & the day to day exploits.
Was very jealous!
So glad it was such a success.
Cindy Newstead says
Glad you enjoyed the post Sue, perhaps you can make next years trip??? xx
Beth says
Looks like you all had so much fun, I am very tempted to go next year if there are any places left. Loved the photos and daily journal. Would also love to see what you had made.
Cindy Newstead says
Thanks Beth! We are putting the trip out in a few weeks so I hope you can come! I had a fair bit made, mostly summer Pieces, so as I wear them I will announce them as a design or copy from Vietnam….all black and white of course 🙂 🙂 xx