Surprises are inevitable for a first time visitor to Vietnam.
As an American, you will be pleased by the warm welcome you receive throughout the country from people who are eager to learn about the United States. You will also be especially impressed by the superior qualities of the guides and by the wonderful food. They have traveled throughout Vietnam many times and have their own network of friends and contacts to introduce you to along the way. Our family's guide, Kha, even got involved in cooking meals on our trek. There are a lot of petty bureaucratic details concerning permits, tickets, hotel registration and other matters in Vietnam, but with a competent guide you will not even notice.