| Most visitors to
Vietnam are overwhelmed by the sublime beauty of
the country's natural setting: the Red River Delta
in the north, the Mekong Delta in the south and
almost the entire coastal strip are a patchwork
of brilliant green rice paddies tended by women
in conical hats. There are some divine beaches along
the coast, while inland there are soaring mountains,
some of which are cloaked by dense, misty forests.
Vietnam also offers an opportunity to see a country
of traditional charm and rare beauty rapidly opening
up to the outside world. Despite its ongoing economic
liberalisation and the pressures of rapid development,
this dignified country has managed to preserve its
rich civilisation and highly cultured society. It
has discarded its post-war fatigues and the boom
in budget travelling, coupled with the softening
of government control, have enabled more contemporary
and relevant portraits of the country to gain currency
in the West. |
 |
| Q. |
When is the
best time to go to Vietnam? |
| A. |
There are wide
variations in temperatures between different regions.
Generally, October to March is the most pleasant.
December and January can be cold in the North with
daytime highs around 18ºC and the minimum around
10ºC. April to June are hot and July &
August is the monsoon period. |
| Q. |
What is the
size of the group? |
| A. |
If you are traveling
on one of our featured group departures, the groups
range from
16 - 18 participants . |
| Q. |
Can we
have exclusive arrangements? |
| A. |
All our tours
are designed to operate with a minimum of 2 participants.
All arrangements are made exclusively for you. Note:
You do not join a group at any stage, but enjoy
private arrangements. |
| Q. |
What is
the mode of travel? |
| A. |
All local transportation
is by private air-conditioned cars, mini-vans or
buses. We recommend that you wear comfortable walking
shoes. |
| Q. |
Where
will I stay? |
| A. |
Accommodations
are chosen on the basis of the level of comfort,
quality, and in-house service, a touch of the local
charm with en-suite facilities. Most are at least
4 star and generally 5 star properties. |
| Q. |
What is the local
language ? |
| A. |
Vietnamese is
the official language, some French, English, Russian,
and Chinese.
English and French are spoken in hotel and business
circles. |
| Q. |
How can
I register for a tour? |
| A. |
We require a deposit
of US$ 500/C$ 500 to ensure a place on a tour. The
balance payment is due 90 days prior to departure. |
| Q. |
How about
meals? |
| A. |
One of the delights
of Vietnam is the fantastic food. There are over
five hundred traditional dishes, which include beef,
chicken, pork, fish, noodles, fresh vegetables and
tropical fruits. Along the coastline we will also
have plenty of opportunity to sample a variety of
fresh seafood such as crab, prawns, squid and a
variety of fresh fish, all cooked with traditional
flavour. In Vietnam, the best of continental cuisine
remains from the French colonial days providing
a unique combination of Eastern and Western food.
|
| Q. |
Can you
book our flights? |
| A. |
The cost of the
internal flights is included in the tour price.
We have a full service air-ticketing division who
will be glad to assist you with your international
flight arrangements. However please note that if
you are traveling on frequent flyer mileage you
will have to make reservations yourself. |
| Q. |
Will someone
pick me up from the airport? |
| A. |
If you are making
your own flight arrangements, please let us know
the flight details and we will make arrangements
for the pick-up. |
| Q. |
Do I
need a visa to go to Vietnam? |
| A. |
A visa is required
for Vietnam and can be obtained from the nearest
Consulates. All travellers will require a valid
passport. It is your responsibility to ensure that
there are sufficient blank pages for any visas required
and for entry/departure stamps. Please also check
that your passport will be valid for 6 months after
the end of the trip. If you are travelling on more
than 1 passport, please use the same passport for
the entire trip.
NOTE: Visas can ONLY be issued upon arrival in Vietnam
IF you are arriving by air. |
| Q. |
Do I
require inoculations? |
| A. |
We recommend that
you visit a travel clinic specializing in tropical
destinations. |
| Q. |
Do I
need insurance? |
| A. |
You have made
an investment into your trip; we strongly recommend
that you purchase comprehensive travel insurance.
We will be pleased to provide you with a quote |
| Q. |
How much
luggage can I bring? |
| A. |
If your travel
originates in North America you are allowed 2 suitcases
plus a handbag. Suitcases must not weigh more than
32 kilograms (70lbs) each. Some domestic flights
only permit 20 kilograms, so we recommend that you
stick to one suitcase with 20kgs. That will also
enable you to bring back all your shopping. |
| Q. |
What about
tipping? |
| A. |
Tips are not included
in the tour price and tipping is entirely at your
discretion. |
| Q. |
Can I
use my hair dryer in Vietnam? |
| A. |
Electricity in
Vietnam is 110 V or 220V-250V depending on where
you are. However most deluxe hotels have 110V sockets
in their bathrooms. Alternately carry an adapter
with a two/three round pin plug. Most Laptops /
Notebooks have adapters that will work anywhere
between 110V - 250V. |
| Q. |
Should
I worry about food or water? |
| A. |
All establishments
we use have high standards of hygiene while preparing
food. For drinking use bottled water only. If you
have a really fragile constitution, use bottled
water for brushing your teeth as well and stay away
from salads. |
| Q. |
But I
have special meal requirements? |
| A. |
Please inform
our travel counselors at the time of booking and
we will ensure that your requests are forwarded
to the providers. We have handled vegetarian, kosher
or similar requests. We ask you to reconfirm same
while visiting the dining area. |
| Q. |
How much
money should I carry? |
| A. |
Your package tour
includes accommodations, sightseeing, entrance fees,
transportations and 2 meals a day. So you really
require enough money for one-meal, tipping and sundry
expenses. US$20-US$40 a day will take care of the
above. As far as shopping is concerned, that is
another matter. |
| Q. |
Can I
use my Credit Cards? Are there ATMs? |
| A. |
Most reputable
establishments accept Visa, Mastercard, American
Express or Diners Club cards. Major metropolitan
centers have Automated Teller Machines (ATM) as
well; however do not count on them as the primary
source of money. |
| Q. |
Do I need
formal clothes? |
| A. |
You can dress
casual during the day. It is OK to wear shorts (only
while visiting mosques you will have to cover your
legs). We also recommend a wide brimmed hat, plenty
of sunscreen and walking shoes. You may like to
carry smart casual clothes for evenings and dinners. |
| Q. |
What are the
general working hours ? |
| A. |
Shops:
Monday-Sunday 0800-1900
Business: 0730-1200 and 1300-1630 Monday-Saturday
Most museums are closed on Mondays. |
|
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