Overseas Adventure Travel Reviews

Before making such reservations we needed information from OAT about approximates arrival time and departures of our ship at the port, location of the port, and times of activities listed in the published Day-to-Day itinerary that we should avoid missing. For example, the Itenerary would say the ship “arrives at the port in the morning.” Did that mean 7:00 AM or did it mean 11:00 AM? Customer Service could not provide the answer or connect us with anyone who could. This resulted in much anxiety on our part, and ultimately resulted in having to cancel the trip to one of the UNESCO sites we wishes to visit because we would not have gotten back to the port in time for the ship’s departure had we gone on our private excursion.

I expect that we aren’t the only OAT passengers who from time wish to visit a non-included site while on the trip. The kind of information I requested should have been available through OAT customer service since the trip we took was one that had been around for a while, and they should have had a way to get the information we needed. They said we could get the info from our tour guide, but we don’t hear from the tour guide until just a few days before the trip, far too late for making reservations at the two sites we wished to visit. We made our best guesses, and one of the two worked out.

Emma’s leadership, attention to details, sense of humor made a lasting impression. My husband and I truly and fully enjoyed every moment of the trip. That said, there are a few areas of improvement needed regarding OAT website and pre-trip documentation that could significantly reduce stress for first-time travelers to Vietnam:

7) Perhaps we should stay overnight trip in Đà Nẳng vs. Nha Trang. Nha Trang was too lively with plentiful tourists.

Our main frustration during the trip was not being adequately prepared for the heavy reliance on cash. We found ourselves short on usable currency, especially since we prefer not to use or rely on ATM withdrawals in foreign countries. Many fellow travelers felt the same regarding “cash availability” issue. Overall, this was an unforgettable and enriching experience, made outstanding by Emma’s leadership. With clearer pre-trip guidance, future travelers could enjoy the journey with less stress related to money.

We got to see a pistachio factory planned at the last minute, as well as the Greek Independence Day parade. We had dinner in a local's home twice; what a treat it was to get to talk to people who live where we visited. And the honeybee farm was unexpectedly spectacular. I appreciate all of the hard work, planning and flexibility that OAT leaders put into our trip. We never would have seen so much nor understood what we were seeing to such a degree on our own. And another bonus was the lovely group of people on our tour. We were able to relive our daily adventures and, in this way, better remember them by sharing them with fellow travelers.

Another plus to these tours are the excellent guides, our main trip leader and guides for each city. Our guide on my Ancient Kingdoms tour, John, just to give you one example, did something for me that was certainly not part of his duty as our guide. I inadvertently left my sunhat in a restroom, and didn't realize it until our bus had left the site. At our next stop, as I was listening to our city guide, John came over to tell me that in the market behind us there were sunhats for sale. He walked me to the market, and I found a hat for a reasonable price that I liked even better than the one I'd left behind. I don't usually leave things behind when I'm on a trip, but this time I outdid myself. I had left behind my sunglass case at a restaurant and our wonderful city guide, Sean, went back to the restaurant (twice!), to retrieve my case. Not only are these guides knowledgeable and interesting, but they are also compassionate and helpful in unexpected ways.

These trips are great for couples, but also singles. I lost my husband two years ago and did not want to be a third or fifth wheel in a group (although I have also thoroughly enjoyed the couples on my trips with OAT), and there are usually six singles on a tour. I could go on and on about all the benefits to an OAT tour, but suffice it to say that I am already signed up for my next trip, which speaks volumes of how much I have grown, learned, and enjoyed my experiences with Overseas Adventure Travel.

We visited five microclimates, experiencing everything from the rain forest to the mountains to the cloud forests - and of course the beach. Our guide, Andres was well-organized, experienced, knowledgeable and worked tirelessly to arrange the transport, entrance fees, local guides, activities and communication. He went beyond the published itinerary to provide extras for our group of 16 travelers - including a daily morning activity list as well as a description of our activities, wildlife, nature viewings, and photos at the end of each day. His knowledge of local wildlife, plants, trees, geography, history and culture was extensive. He often offered early morning and/or evening walks - spotting toucans, monkeys, coati, and many birds - that were not on the published schedule to enhance our appreciation of the local area.

The school visit to the middle school at Juanilama, which Andres worked hard to arrange despite the fact that school was not in session, was impactful and memorable. Spending time with the enthusiastic students and staff was culturally enriching as well as eye-opening. The “pure vida” attitude of the Costa Ricans was clearly evident.

The school visit was followed by a luncheon with the local women’s group. We were able to participate in this activity by shopping beforehand at a local market, and then asked to join the preparation the meal along with the women - who then accompanied us at the table in discussions of daily life. In addition to the rainforest hikes, there were many experiences that made this trip amazing: family-run coffee plantation, the Epiphyte Trail at the Villa Vanilla Spice Plantation, the Hanging Bridges Tour, the boat cruise on the Rio Frio River. We enjoyed our Costa Rican adventure immensely and look forward to planning out next trip with OAT.