Stella Nguyen (Ms.)

I was looking for a reputed travel agency when I was planning a trip with my family to Vietnam. ChatGPT suggested Asia Pioneer and a few other agencies. I wrote to all of them. Asia Pioneer was the first one to respond and we decided to go with primarily thanks to our able and responsive travel designer, Stella Nguyen.

Stella reached out on email to me with a tentative itinerary and seeking feedback on any other specific requirements we had. Right from there, we were really supported by Stella all through the trip planning process. Her responsiveness to our queries and accommodative nature helped us plan a fantastic trip. She took special care to ensure that appropriate rooms are booked. We got 2 bedroom serviced apartments instead of hotels, thanks to Stella’s foresight on what might be comfortable for us as a family of 4. The apartments were excellent. Stella was always available on call and on whatsapp to check on our comfort and to ensure that everything goes as per plan. Even when there we some minor issues, she immediately got on the problem and sorted it out so that we are never inconvenienced. We are vegetarians and she made sure that we got vegetarian food options everywhere we went throughout the 10 days.

The guides organized by her were really good, knowledgeable and very friendly. Special mention to all our three guides – Mr. Thinh (Tony), Mr. Bang and Mr. Do (Larry). The vehicles that were organized were above our expectations and made all our road trips super comfortable. We enjoyed every bit of our trip to Vietnam, thanks to Stella, our guides and the vehicle drivers.

We are already planning our next trip and are definitely going back to Asia Pioneer for the same.

I am so glad I found Asia Pioneer Travel. My agent, Stella, was an absolute dream to work with. She patiently answered my many questions over many emails and was very well informed about the countries I wanted to visit, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. She created a detailed itinerary and explained the costs covered by the tour and those not covered, so I was well prepared. She was also very helpful in questions regarding visas and other documentation needed for each county. She provided tips about each countries’ customs, money, social norms, etc., and she was there if I ever needed her during the trip.

The trip itself was one of a lifetime. We spent three weeks in SE Asia seeing the most amazing sites (temples, parks, markets, palaces, etc.), having amazing boat rides, and staying in fantastic hotels. She tailored the itinerary to what I was looking for, culture, food, nature and exploration, and she kept within my budget. She arranged a private tour for us, and the tour guides and drivers she setup for us were top notch, so we did not have to worry about the language barrier, and we always felt safe. They took very good care of us. They even made sure we had cold washcloths and cold water after returning to the van from each excursion so we could stay cool and comfortable. The guides were also very flexible in switching up the itinerary if we wanted to do something else or if we wanted to do nothing at all.

I was super pleased with this company, with sweet and wonderful Stella, and with all of the tour guides and drivers. Thank you Stella for all you did. You and Asia Pioneer are the greatest!

Well…we just arrived home from an ammazing experience in Vietnam and Cambodia.
Our Travel Designer, Stella Nguyen did a great job of putting together an itinerary and agenda that meet our needs, wants and desires. The logistics were flawless for the duration of our trip; however, prior to confirming the itinerary with us, there were numerous logisitical changes that were made ahead of our trip. These changes were mainly related to booking flights with the domestic airlines – Vietnam Air, Viet Jet, Bamboo and Cambodian Airlines. None of these changes were a result of Stella or APT’s logistical plans rather it’s due to the constant changes made by the airlines operating with a developing country. As such, if you’re reading this review, Viet Jet we were told by other domestic travelers is known as the “I’m sorry” airline as they constantly change schedules, encounter delays and / or cancel flights with little notification. SO, if you are planning flights, the most reliable airline is Vietnam Air.

As for the work Stella put into our trip, overall we are very pleased with her efforts and the accomodations that APT made for us. Stella even made the effort to welcome us upon arrival in Hanoi and presented us with a very lovely welcome gift! During our trip, we did request a few adjustments to some of our plans and the response from Stella and our guides was amazing. A request would be made and within an hour or so, we would get a response and confirmation! Well done!

As for our guides: Eric in Hanoi; Larry in Saigon / HMC; and Phat in Siem Reap! They were all awesome! They all readily offered up suggestions and recommendations to make our trip enjoyable and all were very accomodating to our needs and unique requests during our adventures. The only thing to be aware of, if you’re into the shopping scene, especially in Vietnam, the guides will take you to shopping places – i.e. lacquer stores, silk products, and pearl stores – that are tourist traps! Not sure if these are government run / supported operations or something our guides are mandated to do. Suffice to say, this is definitely not something our group enjoyed as prices are high, great variety of product offering but lack an “authentic Vietnamese feel”. The only nice thing about these places is that they have really clean and free washrooms!

Having said that, during our free time, we did manage to wander and explore the streets of Hanoi, Saigon and Siem Reap on our own and we did managed to spot many unique Vietnamese / Cambodian stores that seemed to offer more authentic products at significantly better prices. Something to think about.

As for Eric, Larry and Phat, they all spoke english and we had little trouble understanding them. All were knowledgeable about the area, places they took us too, and demonstrated a really passion and love for their country! Great job guys! We will definitely look you up again when we return to Vietnam and Cambodia.

The only suggestion I would make, please clearly explain to future tourists the rules that visitors are expected to follow when visiting temples and other places (i.e. HMC Memorial). Don’t be ashamed or afraid to explain these rules! As an experienced traveller, nothing get me more angry than to see tourists disrepecting the rules of another country and culture. Instead, you should be proud of your culture and the requirements to show respect! Tourists are considered visitors in your country and as such should abide by these rules, customs and traditions that you hold dear to your hearts and make your country and culture unique!

Overall, APT provide a wonderful experience and we would highly recommend their services for a customised and unique experience!

This was our first time using a travel agent to travel to another country. Stella made this process so easy that I’m not sure I’ll ever want to do it myself again. The process of figuring out our itinerary was pretty simple. She came up with an itinerary, we edited it a couple of times, and then we had a final plan. I even asked for a few changes the week before and she was able to change things up for us. No problem. During the trip, Stella and the guides were really responsive to our needs and helped us out more than I could have thought. We got a upgrade on a room and even extended our stay in the hotel due to sickness on our last day with no extra charge to us. I would recommend booking a trip with Stella to any of my friends ! And I might actually do it again myself.

My husband and I traveled to S E Asia for 6 weeks in April and May of 2025. I found Asia Pioneer Travel through an internet search, and I’m so thankful I did. Stella was our trip designer and responded promptly after I sent an online inquiry. After three conversations, we had a plan for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam that included all the areas we wanted to see. Our trip was seamless! We had airport pickups, wonderful English speaking translator/guides and friendly drivers in each country, and the hotel choices were all excellent. We chose to stay in small boutique hotels that were all lovely and not overcrowded. The cities were, of course, very crowded, but not overcrowded with Americans, and our guides took us to their favorite out of the way spots for meals, special landmarks, and culturally important locations which made the trip so memorable. What we experienced will stay with us forever.

I have to give a special shout out to Mr. Oh and Meng in Bangkok and Stella. They were wonderful when I had a brief hospitalization and helped my husband tremendously shift arrangements, cancel and rebook flights and accommodations and provide emotional support. Meng even visited with me in the hospital! Every driver and translator for each new city, greeted us at the various airports, answered any questions we had, and our deep discussions as we travelled were very meaningful and deepened our understanding of S E Asia. As it is now almost one year later, we remember the people, the places, the culture and our visit as life changing. I highly recommend Asia Pioneer travel if you want a brilliant experience exploring S E Asia. Thank you, thank you!

My wife and I went to South East Asia to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. Stella from Asia Pioneer Travel scheduled a call to ensure she understood what we wanted to see and made several recommendations so we ended up going to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. She did a fabulous job in organizing the schedule, hotels, air travel, securing access to all venues we wanted to visit, and setting up great logistics including the tour guides and transportation. The whole trip took place without any hiccups. The food was superb, as all restaurants she organized were outstanding. Stella was available throughout the whole trip and she even came to our Hotel in Hanoi so she could meet us in person.
Outstanding service !! We will definitely use them again when we go back to Asia.

We had the most amazing family vacation in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore. Stella, our tour manager, was absolutely fantastic. She planned the perfect holiday with a nice balance of culture, adventure, and down time. This is our 2nd time using Asia Pioneer (we went to Thailand in 2018) and they do not disappoint. I have recommended them to all of our friends and family. We loved SE Asia and will be returning – Asian Pioneer will definitely be planning our next trip there.

Stella and Asia Pioneer Travel were AMAZING!!! Stella planned us the most incredible ~2 week honeymoon trip to Vietnam and Thailand. She helped us curate a trip that was both filled with adventure but also gave us time to relax. Every guide we had in every city was incredibly kind, knowledgable, and professional. Stella and team were beyond responsive with any questions we had throughout the trip. I truly cannot recommend Asia Pioneer Travel enough!! We could not have done this trip without them.

Asia Pioneer Travel was an excellent Experience – Thank you to Stella Nguyen for a very organized tour of both Vietnam and Thailand. From start to finish, everything was perfectly planned and executed, and we felt very safe and extremely well taken care at all times by ALL our wonderful guides. Too many highlights to list but in Vietnam, we covered the very vibrant city of Hanoi, including temples, train street, a mixture of foods and culture; then on to Ha Long Bay (dreamy cruise experience) including a visit to the caves at Cat Ba National Park; then on to Ho Chi Minh city where we visited central post office, war museums and the Cu Chi tunnels, visiting these was a very sobering experience. but overall, a great experience of Vietnam with very special and unique places we visited with stunning views and landscapes. Then on to Thailand starting in Bangkok where on our first day we experienced a train ride to market to experience the variety of ingredients to our cooking class at the Blue Elephant School – a very special experience and meal. Explored the city by Tuk Tuk, visited China town, roof top bars, royal palaces, beautiful temples, many of them dating back over 1000 years. Train ride from Wong Pho to Thakilen was an incredible experience going over the “wood bridge” – spectacular views! Thailand did not disappoint, fully packed days with grand palaces, the famous Maeklong train street, the Damnoen Saduak floating markets, the bridge over River Kwai; the Chao Phraya dinner cruise; seeing the big and happy budhas, visiting Ayautthaya National park, war museum and cemetery where 4 Canadian soldiers are berried. highlight of our stay at the “floating Hotel” – just dreamy and impressive! Flight to Chiang Rai, Golden Triangle (Thailand, Laos and Miahmar) the Blue Temple, White Temple and long neck tribe village and the Opium Museum; then the ride to Chiang Mai. Exploring the city for street food experience by Vespas! first stop cooking class (salad), then on to appetizer restaurant, then on to dinner restaurant and then on to roof top rock band concert for last stop – all excellent individual drivers….exhilarating and must mention our tour guide Nikki who gave us experience to remember!!! a special visit to the Chian Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. Thailand has a rich culture, focusing on hierarchy, respect and monarchy with influences from Buddhism, Chinese, Indian and South East Asia. Overall an amazing cultural experience beyond our expectations! The variety of landscapes, culture, and authentic local foods made our trip, one of a lifetime and truly special. All our special tour guides were highly professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about their work. Their explanations and flexibility added great value to the entire experience a special thank you to (Eric aka King Kong, Mr. Perez, Santi, and Nikki and especially all our drivers who were very safe). The hotels were all very good and comfortable (even the ones rated as 3/4 *), vehicles used throughout the trip were very modern, luxurious vans, clean, and of high quality, making all transfers pleasant and relaxing. Overall, this was an excellently organized tour with consistently high standards in every aspect. We were very impressed by the professionalism, friendliness, flexibility as well as the quality, attention to detail, and smooth coordination. We travelled to Vietnam with our friends for a private tour of 4 and then met up with friends in Thailand for a private tour with 6 of us. I would highly recommend Asia Pioneer Travel, and especially Stella Nugyen as a travel designer, without any hesitation. Thank you for an unforgettable experience. We would be happy to travel with Asia Pioneer Travel again in the future. Rita & Joe DoCanto

Chloe was fantastic! She planned our trip to Cambodia with care and understanding. She made recommendations and gave useful advice. She definitely cared about our experience and that we get the most out of our trip.

The itinerary was stellar! Our guide Makara and driver Mr. Ouk were amazing! We felt safe and comfortable while learning so much about the country and Khmer history and culture.

This company is professional and personable, which is a rare combination to find these days. I will most certainly be using their services again in the future!

WOW. I lucked out in finding a travel specialist for a once in a lifetime trip for my Dad and sister’s family. I’ve always planned out my trips but this time, I decided to search for someone to help since we had a large group and an aggressive agenda hitting multiple cities in Vietnam. To be honest, I originally was just looking for a driver to get the family around to all the cities. I reached out to Asia Pioneer via their website and Stella responded immediately asking what I had in mind. She worked patiently with me to craft out the itinerary, gave me options to consider, advised me on a lot of details I wouldn’t have known. Once we finalized the agenda, she provided a detailed proposal and cost which was reasonable. From there, she did all the work from booking transportation, hotels, flights, EVERYTHING! The guides for each leg of my trip were knowledgeable, flexible, accommodating, super genuine and nice. We did activities and things that I wouldn’t have normally done or even thought of but definitely made the trip for the family, especially the kids. I can’t say this enough, if you get Stella, SHE IS AMAZINGLY THOUGHTFUL! She took care of every detail including knowing it was my sister’s 50th birthday during the trip and she surprised her with a cake during lunch. I would definitely be using Asia Pioneer Travel again and work with Stella when I travel back in SE Asia.

Thank you Asia pioneer for planning a great trip to us to Bali. We loved all the hotels and also all the excursions that were booked.
I would like to personally thank Stella Nguyen from the Asia pioneer team who was very patient with us( a group of 10) through out the planning process. She was very swift with her responses and made several changes to our tour itinerary with no complaints.
I would recommend Asia Pioneer to anyone wanting to get the real Bali experience.

We just completed a 3 1/2 week trip to Thailand, Vietnam & Cambodia. A huge shout out to Stella N for her amazing expertise in setting up a trip of a lifetime. Everything was 5* from the hotels, guides, drivers, events, food, and sights, and the most perfectly timed trip without incidents. Stella was quick to respond to any questions or needs. We highly recommend contacting Asia Pioneer Travel with Stella N. It was a trip that will be memorable for a lifetime…

We can’t say enough good things about Rachel and Asia Pioneer Travel. From our initial outreach to plan our 2+ weeks stay through the follow up once our trip ended, Rachel was consistently in touch ensuring every inquiry, request and detail was handled meticulously. We truly felt like we had a partner vested in our experience every step of the way. Every tour guide was knowledgeable and helpful, every driver was courteous and on time and every transportation vehicle was roomy, comfortable and clean, very much delivering on what we hoped and expected. We had started our trip with a few days in Ho Chi Minh City, followed by an AmaWaterways cruise up the Mekong Delta into Cambodia. From there we travelled to Hanoi, then Halong Bay and back to Hanoi. Our original plan included DaNang and Hoi An, however, Rachel smoothly adjusted the itinerary to accommodate our concern about the weather on the central coast and our wish to spend a night on a cruise of HaLong Bay. The Stellar of the Seas ship Rachel booked for us was so impressive (food, suite, staff) and the beauty of the area so breathtaking, we opted to stay a second night, prompting yet another significant change to the schedule, all of which Rachel handled with utmost professionalism. We loved the hotel choices she made and particularly staying at the Allure Hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi; highly recommend that to experience the vibrancy and liveliness of the city in a lovely boutique hotel. The authentic Vietnamese meals arranged for us were perfect in letting us taste high quality, beautifully prepared pho as well as a multi-course meal in a casual but upscale-styled restaurant (Lan Ong in Hanoi). We appreciated both the presentation of multiple excursions each day, and even more, the flexibility to pull back so that we had time for R&R. In Hanoi, we visited the Ho Chi Minh complex, sat cafe-side as the train passed by on Train Street (the guide knew the schedule and exactly where to situate ourselves!) and the Hao Lo prison. All were very much worth our time though we were forewarned that 60% of the prison was undergoing renovations; still glad we saw it. In Ho Chi Minh City, we toured the War Remnants Museum, the Post Office and walked around Notre Dame; all very worthwhile.

We will recall the endless scooters and the dizzying traffic circling major intersections efficiently; the bustling neighborhoods; the countless storefronts and sidewalk cafés where locals sat on low stools chatting, eating pho, and yes, looking at their cell phones. But above all, we will remember the smiles, the warm welcomes, and the joy with which the people of Vietnam and Cambodia shared their storied and rich heritage and often heartbreaking history. Truly the trip of a lifetime, thanks to Rachel and Asia Pioneer Travel.

Simply perfect. We had an amazing three weeks (albeit busy and active – as we requested!) which included a perfectly curated itinerary in Vietnam and Thailand.
From the time I connected with Stella, I knew she’d be able to do exactly as I asked. As for the pre trip/planning portion, I had researched all we wanted to do within the two countries, gave her a budget and advised of the duration of our trip. She mapped all of the logistics: arranging private transportation, English speaking tour guides and enlisted us with specialty activities (some that we joined in with other small groups some of which we did alone). The initial itinerary was “massaged” a couple times to keep everything aligned (us making various decisions) and in line with our initial ideas. Stella ran with every suggestion made! We received a an incredibly detailed itinerary that just made us even more excited for our trip.

Once we arrived, Stella continued with excellent communication by providing us with very specific info communicated on what we could expect, (meeting places, time frame, what to bring for the day, etc). In fact, many people we ran into envied our personalized situation. She left all the guess work out of our trip and we were well prepared in every instance.

Everything was simply wonderful-and we experienced it with a local
flair. I only wish we had a company like this in all countries we want to visit. The experience made it so carefree and we were right at budget. We greatly appreciate all of Stella’s hard work on our behalf, and her company high class, top tier company, Asia Pioneer Travel!

As an international adoptee visiting my birth country for the first time since being adopted at 1.5 years old this journey was emotionally complicated for me. Asia Pioneer staff Stella Nguyen and her tour team made that journey for me more comfortable. I truly felt welcomed back into my birth country and each of the tour guides I met with were very knowledgeable and helpful. Both Danny and Tim helped me reconnect back to my roots as each gave me indepth history and information regarding Thai culture.

Also, each of the hotels that were selected were all beautiful and unique. The hotel staff were always helpful and professional during my stay. I would definitely recommend anyone to stay at these hotels for comfort, cleanliness, and location. I really enjoyed the fact that these hotels were at the center or very close to all the local events, clubs, markets, and stores.

Additionally, this trip was a birthday gift to myself and Asia Pioneer made sure this detail was passed onto those along the tour. The tour guides blessed me with birthday greeting, small gift, and even dessert the night of my birthday. The hotel I stayed at during my birthday also welcomed me by adorning my room with birthday greeting spread on the hotel bed with flowers and towels shaped into elephants and a heart plus a dessert garnished with Happy Birthday chocolate. It all made me feel special for my birthday.

As a solo traveler booking with a tour guide company for the first time, I would highly recommend anyone to book with Asia Pioneer! From the details and communication during the planning process to the end of the trip, it was total satisfaction. I will certainly use Asia Pioneer again for my future travel plans.

We travelled to Thailand with Asia Pioneer Travel. What an experience! Stella prepared an amazing itinerary. Temples, cooking classes, cruise, Tuk Tuk ride, Vespa ride, floating Villa, elegant sanctuary, Koh Sumai & more. All the accommodations & guides were excellent. We have travelled with this company in the past & highly recommend them.

We planned a couple trip with Stella Nguyen, who was always available and gave us good recommendations. In all places we had very good guides, drivers and cars. And very pleasant surprises like a romantic dinner. We started in Hanoi, took one night cruise in Ha Long Bay went down to Ho Chi Minh, passing by Hue and the lovely Hoi An.
Another highlight was the visit to the Ankor Wat Temples in Siem Reap, also with an excellent guide.
Vietnam is a country with beautiful landscapes, accelerated development, very friendly people and delicious food.

We had the most incredible time in Vietnam. Every moment, every excursion, every guide, every location was fantastic!! I cannot thank Stella at Asia Pioneer Travel enough for all her help and guidance throughout the planning process. It truly was a trip of a lifetime that surpassed all expectations. Thank you again!!!

Thrilled to have secured travel designer Stella and her team at Asia Pioneer travel for recent Vietnam adventure.
Stella accommodated our needs and requirements efficiently before and during our trip…always remembering our preference for activities, offering options and providing solutions. Whilst away, it was so comforting to know we could call or text Stella and she would reply promptly. This happened on a couple of occasions with sickness and Stella would let our guides know ahead that we require a pharmacy. Another time unexpected flash flooding prompted us to leave a beach location earlier and fly to warmer weather which Stella and her team arranged without a hitch and with minimal notice.
We had a fabulous time thanks to superstar Stella who gave us 100% customer care.
We highly recommend Asia Pioneer Travel and will be contacting Stella for our next adventure.
Thank you superstar Stella
Diana and Andrew

Recently we got a vacation in Cambodia and Vietnam. It was difficult to find the trip that fitour requirements. Luckily we found the Asia Pioneer Travel agency and their travel designer Stella Nguyen. Stella prepared the trip exactly the way we wanted it to be. Attractions to visit, hotel, transportation – everything from beginning to the end was done to meet our schedule and our wishes. Of course, Stella did not work alone, she had support from the entire agency. We visited 6 cities and everywhere we were met, greeted, and taken care of by the guides and drivers. All the hotels were already booked, all the tickets for excursions and flights were already purchased for us. In Phnom Penh we realized that we had more than a half a day of free time. We contacted Stella and she organized a guided city tour for us. That was really amazing. We visited wonderful pearl stores and even an Italian town, right in Vietnam. A real piece of Italy in Vietnam.
Asia Pioneer Travel agency gifted us an unforgettable experience and we would like to thank them for this travel. And we would like to recommend them to everybody. If you need a customized and not overpriced vacation – you know who to contact.

Our trip was beyond wonderful! It was a short 7-day trip, but we packed it in with activities and experiences! We stayed at the most amazing hotels and took the most interesting tours. Stella, our travel specialist at Asia Pioneer, was simply the best! I can’t thank her enough and I highly recommend her. She was very responsive and receptive to our questions and requests and really worked to make our plans perfect. Some of our favorite activities were the Vespa tour in Saigon, the street food tour in Hanoi, the Cu Chi Tunnel tour and, of course, the relaxing cruise in Ha Long Bay.

Asia Pioneer Travel turned our Vietnam trip into an absolute dream! Huge shoutout to Stella, the ultimate tour coordinator—she’s like a travel wizard with lightning-fast responses and a knack for making every detail perfect. Seriously, her itinerary was next level (probably the most detailed proposal we’ve ever seen!), and she sprinkled in some jaw-dropping surprises in every city: Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, and Sapa—each stop more magical than the last!

And let’s talk about our incredible tour leaders: Mr. Phong, Vinh, Thi, and Bob—these guys were the real MVPs! Not only were they walking encyclopedias of Vietnam’s history and culture, but they also made sure we were comfortable, happy, and laughing the whole way.

This trip wasn’t just about seeing beautiful places—it was about creating unforgettable memories and bringing us even closer as a family.