The Real Kangaroo Café Tours

The Real Kangaroo Café Tours

The Real Kangaroo Café Tours
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Hanoi, Vietnam

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles11 reviews
Excellent
8
Very good
1
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
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James S
Miranda, Australia1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Where to begin - me and a group of friends were fortunate enough to have our Vietnamese travel experience facilitated by The Real Kangaroo Cafe Tours and their fantastic proprietors Max and Miss Thuy (and their canine mate Foxxy) in December of 2019.

First and foremost Max is a down to earth and very amiable Australian bloke who has long lived in the region and his first hand experience shows in the invaluable and cost efficient recommendations, advice and bookings he provides along the way - without Max we would quite simply have been lost and most likely stung financially.

Max brings a passion for his adopted homeland and knowledge of the oft not discussed side of Vietnam's history and its relationship with the western world not matched by any travel agent or tour guide in my experience travelling across 4 continents and 20+ countries.

Max's seemingly endless knowledge base and wealth of experience enriches and enhances your trip to the utmost degree and he's also great for a laugh and a chat and the very hospitable Max, Miss Thuy and Foxxy help make the experience feel a lot more like an old friend is organizing your trip and you're in more than capable and safe hands the whole time and are beyond accommodating to all needs.

Organisation of travel, taxi's, accommodation etc. is all affordable but also very high quality and the two individual tours we booked were amazing and well worth more than the price of admission.

The Ha Long Bay tour takes you on a very spacious and well equipped boat throughout the historic bodies of water and land formations in the comfort of air conditioning in every room, a massive top deck area to sunbathe, read a book or have a drink, fantastic dining area (at which you'll be treated to fresh regional seafood on a daily basis - a culinary highlight of the trip personally) and even a bit of squid fishing off the boat after dark! Mustn't forget a fully stocked bar and friendly boat staff.

The Ha Long Bay tour aside from offering some of the most breathtaking and beautiful landscapes I've encountered in my life includes kayaking in the tropical, see through waters, a guided tour through an expansive and visually striking cave system and swimming in the bay off a secluded beach along the way.

I'm not normally one to write reviews nor give praise lightly but I couldn't recommend both The Real Kangaroo Cafe Tours and their Ha Long Bay tour enough. Perfect for young and old and I daresay I'll be returning as soon as possible.
Written 2 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dean M
Melbourne, Australia89 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2018 • Couples
I was fortunate enough to have a friend refer me to Max at the Real Kangaroo Cafe in Ha Noi before we left home. Max was available to chat over Skype or FB Messenger (numerous times) and we could discuss everything we had in mind directly with him. This was a really huge help in planning our trip. Max saved us a world of heartache for sure.

The tours Max has sorted are all great and he is as honest as the day is long and just knows all the Local ways here.

We loved the food in the Real Kangaroo Cafe and I didn’t try the western food that much but my partner loved the hamburgers! Me, I recon the Real Vietnamese food served at Max’s place is brilliant and as good as you will get anywhere in Ha Noi. It’s all fresh and the kitchen is spotless which is in itself a little unique here.

Max and his staff helped us with everything from accommodation to tours to local customs and made our trip here that much better. The Golden Rice Hotel he recommends is close to everything in the old part of town and a lovely place to stay.

You can even get Vegemite on toast at the Cafe.

Thanks to Max and his wonderful staff for everything.

Recommend highly to anyone visiting Vietnam.
Written 4 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

martyb967
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2019 • Couples
We'd like to thank Max and Miss Thuy for the wonderful organization of our 19 day Vietnam holiday in March. The thoroughness they went to, to ensure we were looked after, and the places we visited were amazing. To experience the flavourism food with all those spices was one of the best things we enjoyed. Our guide Vinnie was exceptional and we couldn't fault him. He went above and beyond what was expected. They made our holiday seamless from the bouquet of Rose's upon arrival at HaNoi airport through to riding with them and Foxy on their scooters weaving in and out of dense traffic. The accommodation was superb. Even though Max is an Aussie, from these kiwis, we think you're the best. These guys add the personal touch that other mass merchant travel agents don't. If anyone needs any reassurance about the Real Kangaroo Cafe, this is the real McCoy. No fake news here.
Written 11 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Africanchill
Johannesburg, South Africa69 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2018 • Couples
We booked a tour to Sapa. They are not the cheapest but definitely the best tour organizers I encountered in my travels. Max, the owner was kind enough to take us to the train station and escort us to the cabin we be spending the night in. Arrangements including pick ups were meticulously taken care of.We were so impressed, we recommend fellow travelers and even booked the next leg of our train trip through them. I would highly recommend them for the following reasons - what you see and is what you get. No scams and tricks
-good vale for money coupled with personal service
-the owner takes care of his staff
-the guides for their treks are fantastic. Our guide tweaked our trek to suit our needs. For example, we wanted to go off the beaten track, which she gladly did.
- Max the owner, is a genuine good guy. He does so much for the community.
Super efficient Max and the amazing affable Thuy, thanks a ton!
Written 20 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alan B
Washington DC, DC36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Couples
Did 2 tours with The Kangaroo Café.
We did Halong Bay over 3 days and 2 nights which included one night in Cat Ba and also a trek in the National Park.
The tour in Halong Bay and Cat Ba were well planned and really interesting.
We saw the Surpising Caves, did the kayak tour, visited Ti Top Island (with a climb to the lookout which is definitely worth it for the views)
Cat Ba was quiet and a great place to visit. The highlight for me was the trek to the lookouts which is not an easy walk with some clambering over rocks at the end.
But be assured that the views are really worth it.

We also booked a day trip to the Perfume Pagoda. This was a scenic boat ride up the Perfume River and then some climbing stairs to the cable car (you can walk to the top but I believe its over an hour to negotiate all the steps - we wimped out and did the cable car - well worth the $5USD)
The Perfume Pagoda has steps at the end to enter and leave and it really is a natural and scenic place to visit. Worth the effort to go and see it

A comment about the guides must be made. They put you first and ensure you have a great experience. Their English skills are excellent and they share so much knowledge with you.
Both trips were great experiences and I would highly recommend them

The only slight downside is the accommodation on the boat. The cabin was a bit on the small side.
This was ok because we only had one night on the boat and one night on Cat Ba.
Its not a show stopper, but be prepared

This company might not be the cheapest - but they really do go out of their way to make sure you have a great experience
Highly recommended.
Written 15 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nicola C
Glasgow, UK110 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 • Family
We did a 3 day/2 night trip to Halong Bay.
We booked online directly with the Café and popped into the Café the day before to make sure everything was set, booking with them was very straight forward.
The first day on Halong bay was nice, the boat took us around the bay before stopping where we would stay the night. We then took a smaller boat to go to a site for kayaking, this part of the trip was very rushed and disorganised. At a lot of points on the trip I felt we weren't given enough information about what was happening from our guide. Kayaking costs slightly extra but it is worth it. Be aware that no instructions on how to kayak are given.
The food on the boat was pretty much all seafood, which meant that as someone that doesn't eat seafood I wasn't able to eat much on the trip as there were few other options.
We stayed the night on the boat in an area with lots of other boats, so it was a bit noisy but the karaoke stopped by midnight.
The next day we went to a cave and then back to halong bay dock. Those of us doing 3 days then transferred by speed boat to Cat Ba Island.
The tour around Cat Ba was by far the best part of the trip, it's in a very secluded area with hardly any other boats, then we cycled to a small village and back through the countryside.
The hotel on Cat Ba Island was below average and not what we'd expected.
Overall I would recommend the trip as it was different to all the other tours we looked at. The guide didn't always know what was going on but that didn't appear to be her fault.
Written 19 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Craig_from_Hampshire
Fleet, UK83 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2018 • Family
We booked a 3 day/2 night boat tour of Halong Bay.

We booked through direct contact with the cafe (easy enough). We were sent a detailed itinerary with pictures etc. All very good and reassuring.

The actual product was lacking in a couple of areas though. The boat we ended up on was not the one in the picture. We had booked a family room and ended up with a twin and a double (no issue for us but this boat clearly did not have a family room). The boat was certainly comparable though.

The food on board was excellent although very seafood based (which isn't surprising given the location) but there was no choice so if you don't like seafood you may want to ask in advance for something different.

The rooms were functional although we did find a cockroach in my daughter's bed. Not a unique failing in Vietnam though.

Our tour guide was a freelancer who was unfamiliar with some aspects of the tour. She had enough notes and support to get through but we were hanging around a couple of times.

The first day is a coach ride on an air conditioned minibus to get on the boat. It takes about 4 hours and you have a stop half way. They give you a lanyard with your buses number plate on it to 'help you find your bus again' but the suspicion amongst our group was that was someone would get their commission for bringing you here. Certainly the prices meant someone was doing well.

Upon arriving in Halong you set sail immediately and have a pleasant lunch whilst motoring off to the bay.

You get to the main tourist area later in the afternoon. I would recommend the kayaking as an optional (low cost) extra.

You then have dinner on the boat. There are loads of boats moored in close proximity to each other. I presume this area is the most sheltered or something. However the downside is you get to hear the party boats or even worse the Karaoke ones! Thankfully they don't go on too late.

After breakfast you visit a cave before returning to your start point. At this point the 2 day tour finishes to head back to Hanoi and the 3 day breaks off.

We were then taken to a beach to transfer to a small boat to speed us across to Cat ba. After a short transfer you get onto the day boat. For us this was the highlight of the tour as it went to areas with much fewer tourist. Again a set menu lunch with lots of Seafood. We also kayaked again. The cycle tour to the village was also a highlight.

In the evening we went back to Cat Ba. Our guide had been cagey about where we were staying during the day. Apparently the hotel we would normally have stayed in was full and we ended up with something more basic. Some of our group reckoned a quick booking.com search said the one were in was a third of the price. Not an exact science I grant you but enlightening.

Cat Ba town was not the highlight of the trip. We had a lazy morning before having to go for lunch at 11 to get our transfer back.

The bus back was a shared transfer. The bus was packed but it made good time.

I get the impression overall that if you get the advertised boat and the full time guide you will probably have a top drawer tour. Our was just lacking in a couple of places.
Written 7 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TravellinSuz57
Sydney, Australia15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Couples
Great company to deal with; terrific 17 day tour; guides were amazing, particularly our guide for the long stint from Ha Noi to Ho Chi Minh. She is very knowledgeable and us a great sense of humour.
Written 6 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andreea P
Ko Lanta, Thailand26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Friends
Amazing place! Great food and the Na Da beer made our trip! If you're there do try it!

We booked 3 back to back tours with Max to explore north Vietnam and each one was better than the other. We were lucky about the weather too, rain came right when we were done in all tours!!! (I think Pat is the lucky one on this!)
The SaPa tour was great, with great tips for the trip and excellent service from Max who took us to our train!
Halong Bay was amazing! We had great tour guides and activities on both days! The CatBa hotel was a great one too!
And what can I say about the Mai Chau, Cuc Phoung and Tam Coc?! Rice fields all the way, peaceful homestay with the lovely Mrs Chung (who had rice wine shots with us!) Amazing food (a few surprised looks when we kept saying: no meat, no dairy, no eggs! But so much food! So if you're vegan don't hold back and don't worry! There's amazing food for you too!)
And then to top it all Max and ms Tui (I hope that's how it's spelled!) helped us with tickets for Hue and drove us to the train station again!
Stellar service!
When back in Vietnam I will definitely visit the cafe again!
Thank you again for an amazing experience!
I cannot recommend the cafe and the tours enough!
Written 6 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sean F
Province of Brescia, Italy12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018 • Solo
I was recommended the Real Kangaroo Cafe via a very dated Lonely Planet travel guide. When I discovered they were still in business 15 YEARS later, I knew they must be good - and I was very right. Max and Ms. Thuy were great. Max and I shared hot coco while Thuy played some good music for us. I booked a trip to Sapa and despite the weather, had a terrific time. Their recommendations and guide, Mu Xyooj and her sister Sa Giang helped me really enjoy get out and enjoy Sapa. Thanks to Max and Thuy I really feel I got the best out of Hanoi and North Vietnam. When I return to Vietnam I certainly will reach out to them both.
Written 17 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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THE REAL KANGAROO CAFÉ TOURS (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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