Tours in Vietnam

[cruiser100]

We will be 6 adults cruising in Vietnam in February & are looking for recommended tour agents to arrange transport in a mini van with driver/ guide for day trips in Cai Lan (Hanoi), Da Nang/Hue, & Ho Chi Min city (Saigon).

 

Can anyone help?

 

Cruiser 100.

[jrkfrk]

We are using Indochina Travel Company on our cruise next month (January 6 - Oceania, Nautica). Since it is in the future, I can't really give a recommendation, but they have been very helpful.

Fran

[mpk218]

sorry wrong one:eek:

[cruisinlivin]

We will be 6 adults cruising in Vietnam in February & are looking for recommended tour agents to arrange transport in a mini van with driver/ guide for day trips in Cai Lan (Hanoi), Da Nang/Hue, & Ho Chi Min city (Saigon).

 

Can anyone help?

 

Cruiser 100.

 

hi,

 

We used a local company for a tour in Saigon. Send me an email if you would like the information.

 

In the past you may have seen discussions about Hydrofoils, do not make any plans using them. We had all the arrangements made, it showed up as planned but then we could not access them because of the dock we were at. It was not worth the trouble caused.

 

Also if you want to see the Water Puppet show, Princess books out he entire day. Our agent had us booked in really early in the morning but due to the delay caused by the hydrofoil we missed the window of opportunity.

 

I'd be glad to answer any questions about Saigon and Nha Trang if you are visiting there.

[jeno]

We are using Indochina Travel Company on our cruise next month (January 6 - Oceania, Nautica). Since it is in the future, I can't really give a recommendation, but they have been very helpful.

Fran

Did you use them and how did it go? Thanks, Jeno

[kmsu2000]

Try Sinhcafe Travel http://www.sinhcafetravel.com/ one stop shopping for everything you want in vietnam. One of the Travel agent highly recommanded by Lonely Plannet Book. I use them many time for the past 10 years. They can arrange everything from private car, bus tours, hotel booking, air tickets and airport pickup.

 

One thing I must mention because Sinh Travel start their business as a travel cafe and helping western backpackers booking hotel, bus and tours and now turn in to a full service travel agent with branches office all over vietnam. I use them when in Saigon, Nha Trang, Nui-Ne, Dalat, Hue, Hoi An, Hanoi and Ha long bay. The price offer by Sinh Cafe normally very low that means the hotel and meals includes with the tours normally very basic. But you can always upgrade to whatever classes hotel you like and ask for private tours if you prefer having your own meals.

 

This is teh two most recent trip I did with Sinh. When I in Hue and Hoi An, I ask for the private English guide with private car. I tell them what I like to eat for my lunch (I pay for my own meals). The tour guide took me to some very nice places and you most likely will not find those places from the map. They drop me off at the hotel after dinner and return again teh next day for other day trip...

 

I took the 2 days tour to Ha Long Bay from Hanoi in Sep-2005 that includes AC bus to Ha long city (group tour), boat ride in ha long bay then stay over night in Cat Ba island and return back to ha Long city buy boat and bus to Hoi noi the next day. I think the base price was $45 pp, but I upgrade my hotel from the 2 stars hotel to a 3 stars (best you can get in this island in 2005), I think I only paid $20 more to upgrade to this all new Holiday View Hotel over looking Ha long bay v. Link to teh hotel http://directrooms.com/vietnam/hotels/holiday-view-hotel-cat-ba-cat-ba-island-7622.htm I think few more 4 stars hotel was built since then.

 

If you interest about using Sinh cafe, google Sinh cafe travel to learn more about this agent. Don't try some small unknow agent, they can be out of business before you arrive in Vietnam. It happen to before. You end up no hotel and no one pick you up at the airport.

[greatam]

Try Sinhcafe Travel http://www.sinhcafetravel.com/ one stop shopping for everything you want in vietnam. One of the Travel agent highly recommanded by Lonely Plannet Book. I use them many time for the past 10 years. They can arrange everything from private car, bus tours, hotel booking, air tickets and airport pickup.

 

 

Be VERY careful in Vietnam using SINH/SINGH cafes. The original is excellent. BUT there are a LOT of copycats using the same name/logo and some of them are nothing but rip offs. Please also note the spelling of any Sinh TA you are thinking of using-SINGH is an Indian name, SINH is Vietnamese and I have seen TA's using both spellings.

 

Le Van Sinh, of the ORIGINAL Sinh Cafe, is part owner of IndoChina Travel. IndoChina Travel was started to provide more upscale, personalized travel experiences. Personally, I have taken a couple of Sinh Cafe trips-not bad, especially for the price, but not the personalized, slightly upscale experience most cruisers are looking for. Here is the website of the ORIGINAL Sinh Cafe.

 

http://www.sinhcafevn.com/

 

Here are comments from two Vietnamese expats (one American, one Australian) posted on Lonely Planet about Sinh Cafe/Travel.

 

"It's important to differentiate between the original, reputable Sinh Travel in HCMC (on DeTham Street) and the countless copycats in Hanoi. As there's a Sinh Travel/Cafe on nearly every street in the OQ, only a fool would think that they were dealing with a trustworthy business by randomly choosing one."

 

"Depends, there are a gazillion Sinh Cafes out there, a lot of them are dodgy."

 

The website posted in the previous post is NOT the original Sinh Cafe. I believe they are associated somehow with TNKTravel in Vietnam. TNK is perfectly acceptable but they provide much more "backpacker" type experiences, even if you upgrade hotels. Most travel on local buses, NOT private transport. And group tours, generally with 20-30 yo. Nothing wrong with that type of travel and it is very prevalent and inexpensive in Vietnam, but most likely NOT the experience most cruisers are looking for. JMHO.

[kmsu2000]

Here is the website of the ORIGINAL Sinh Cafe.

 

http://www.sinhcafevn.com/

 

Here are comments from two Vietnamese expats (one American, one Australian) posted on Lonely Planet about Sinh Cafe/Travel.

 

"It's important to differentiate between the original, reputable Sinh Travel in HCMC (on DeTham Street) and the countless copycats in Hanoi. As there's a Sinh Travel/Cafe on nearly every street in the OQ, only a fool would think that they were dealing with a trustworthy business by randomly choosing one."

 

"Depends, there are a gazillion Sinh Cafes out there, a lot of them are dodgy."

 

.

 

Thanks for the correct link. I did know Sinh has multiple websites, but never know some of them may be copy cat.

 

When I traveled to Saigon, I always walkin to the Saigon office to make my travel arrangement. I know for sure it is the original Sinh (Saigon was my home town). I use the link I provided above to book my Hanoi hotel and tours but did not know it was a wrong link. I have no problem to get my Hotels and tours. The agent ask me to make my payment after I arrive in Hanoi (don't want to sent credit card info over email). After I arrive in Hanoi. I have no trouble check in to my hotel (recommand and booked by Sinh, it was a nice and all new 3 stars hotel for $45). when I walked to Sinh TA and I found Sinh all over Hanoi old quarter area. Almost one in every block. I found one next to my hotel and the lady told me I must make my payment to the correct agent, she has no access to her email record. That was a big question mark to me at that time ??? are they suppose to share record in the same database ? Anyway, I met my agent, made my payment and the next days a big AC pickup about 10 peopel in my hotel for city tours, everyone of them booked with Sinh (not sure which agent ?). When I left from Hanoi to HaLong bay, a small bus pickup us up in the hotel and drop off everyone in a a Sinh office waiting to transfer to a bigger bus. 1st bus was over loaded and office called a 2nd bus. Everything was done profressionally and never know it was a copy cat. everyone in the bus (over 40 people) all booked with Sinh (not sure which Sinh).

 

So, I am thinking these small agents may not be a copy cat, they just get comsission from Sinh and some of them make their own website and that confusing people.

 

Again, thanks for the update and corrcect Link. It always safe to book with the original.

 

 

 

 

My agent one has a small table and PC inside a small cafe. I assume she walk for Sinh. Again, I mak emy payment to Ha long bay, city tours and hotels in cat Ba, everything was fine.

 

Hanoi office once using email to mak emy travel arrangement before I arrive Hanoi (saigon is my home town, Hanoui is new to me). the agent, she told me to vouchers

[greatam]

When I left from Hanoi to HaLong bay, a small bus pickup us up in the hotel and drop off everyone in a a Sinh office waiting to transfer to a bigger bus. 1st bus was over loaded and office called a 2nd bus. Everything was done profressionally and never know it was a copy cat. everyone in the bus (over 40 people) all booked with Sinh (not sure which Sinh).

 

While there is nothing wrong with this type experience, it is NOT the personalized experience most cruisers on an Asian cruise will want. If you want a large bus with 40-50 people, you should just take the cruise line's tour.

 

So, I am thinking these small agents may not be a copy cat, they just get comsission from Sinh and some of them make their own website and that confusing people.

 

Again, thanks for the update and corrcect Link. It always safe to book with the original.

 

 

 

As posted previously, a lot of these agents ARE copy cats. And the agency you booked with is connected to TNK travel, NOT Sinh. TNK has grown tremendously in the last couple of years. They are now the 3rd largest travel agency in Vietnam.

 

They sell Sinh tours (original Sinh), but they have NO direct connection to Sinh, just like any American travel agency arranging tours. Your American TA can make arrangements with Sinh to take you on a tour. Your vouchers state Sinh. But you actually book the tour with an American TA.

[bahamaboy]

Hi we just finished the Sapphire Princess tour and used Thi of smiletours. she was actually booked (though all of my correspondense was with her). I was thrilled with our guide and the service Thi provided. email me if you need her contact. richmond@candw.ky

[transindochina]

Pleasetry this one:http://www.indochina-packagetours.com and you may get good advise

[greatam]

Pleasetry this one:http://www.indochina-packagetours.com and you may get good advise

 

You are not supposed to advertise your agency on CC.

[DonahCBrown]

We will be 6 adults cruising in Vietnam in February & are looking for recommended tour agents to arrange transport in a mini van with driver/ guide for day trips in Cai Lan (Hanoi), Da Nang/Hue, & Ho Chi Min city (Saigon).

 

Can anyone help?

 

Cruiser 100.

 

We did the Sapphire 10/17 and 11/2 back to back and used three different companies for our Vietnam stops. Asia King Travel, contact Mr. Ha, is located in Hanoi and did excellent tours for us in Nha Trang and Vung Tau. We used Thi Hoang of Smile Tours for our Vung Tau to Saigon trip and she was able to arrange a private water puppet show for us at theatrical venue that is normally open only at night, since Princess had booked up all the ones at the National Museum. Our other tour in Nha Trang was with Nha Trang River Tours and I don't know if he does anything other than Nha Trang, but it was probably the best of the tours we did in Vietnam and one of the best on the whole trip. Contact there is Dung Pham.

 

Email me if you want the full web/email stuff for any or all of these.

[Sacramento95825]

We will be 6 adults cruising in Vietnam in February & are looking for recommended tour agents to arrange transport in a mini van with driver/ guide for day trips in Cai Lan (Hanoi), Da Nang/Hue, & Ho Chi Min city (Saigon).

 

Can anyone help?

 

Cruiser 100.

 

 

We just got back from a 16 day cruise on Sapphire Princess 12/4-12/20/07 to Asia.

 

I can give a recommendation for Saigon. There were 3 adults and we had a private tour in a mini van with a guide and driver. This was thru Smile Tours. Tour guide was Pham Thuy Duong (Young) email address:vietsunshine@hotmail.com. He and the driver were excellent. If you go with him please tell them David, Arlene & Tammy Grimm recommended him.

 

Arlene

[ScriptOhio]

We just got back from a 16 day cruise on Sapphire Princess 12/4-12/20/07 to Asia.

 

I can give a recommendation for Saigon. There were 3 adults and we had a private tour in a mini van with a guide and driver. This was thru Smile Tours. Tour guide was Pham Thuy Duong (Young) email address:vietsunshine@hotmail.com. He and the driver were excellent. If you go with him please tell them David, Arlene & Tammy Grimm recommended him.

 

Arlene

 

We were on the Rhapsody of the Seas (3 Jan 08 to 15 Jan 08) and did a private tour in Saigon with Smile Tours too. The guide was fantastic. I'd highly recommend her. Every thing was great, i.e. cost, vehicle, driver, itinerary, etc.

 

guide: Ms. Thi (Hoang Thi Minh Thi)

 

her email: thi_travel@yahoo.com

 

company website: http://www.smiletoursvietnam.com

 

company email: info@smiletourvn.com

 

They offer tours in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, & China too.

[capgh]

We had heard good things about Buffalo Tours in Vietnam. Frommer's tour guide on Southeast Asia recommended Buffalo and we had even heard the travel channel mention their name.

 

We had a group of 12 and wanted to do a customized tour. We are world travelers -- Mediterranean, Australia, Europe, China. We always do our own tours rather than do anything with the cruise lines. It is a cheaper way to tour and we also like the fact that our group is the only group the tour takes. As such, we could customize our tours or change the itinerary should we all agree we want to spend less time or more time some place.

 

We got a quote from Buffalo tours a la carte. So, we chose where and what we wanted to visit a la carte. Once chosen we were each quoted a price for a group of 12 and told that no matter what we were paying for 12. As luck would have it, we eventually became a party of 11 only and the 12th person had to pay even though she was no longer going.

 

The tour guides for Buffalo were great, no complaint there. However, when we got to the Buffalo tour head office in Hanoi, we were told that because we had been picked up at a different port than originally planned that we had to pay an extra $40 total for our tour. (Note, because the tour guide went to the wrong place to pick us up, we also waited 2 hours for the tour guide, so many things on our itinerary could no longer be accomplished). We paid the $40 because we felt it was nominal.

 

At the second port, we arrived and mid way through the tour, the tour guide said that the head office (Hanoi) had called him and that he was to take us to the Buffalo tour office in Nga Trang and we were to pay another $50. We objected but did not want to argue with the tour guide since he had nothing to do with it. At the Buffalo office, we spoke via phone to the Hanoi office and told them that we had a receipt from them from the day before saying "paid in full", so what was the deal? They said because we came into a different port, it cost them and that the tour was no longer profitable for them. Although after much arguing, the manager of the Nga Trang office decided to end the rift by telling us that we did not have to pay.

 

For the 3rd tour with Buffalo, we wrote to them the night before to tell them which port we believed we were going to dock in. We also asked them to doublecheck via the internet or via the cruise line. The response we got was that "since the tour was no longer profitable for them" that they would not check" (talk about cutting off their nose to spite their face!). Anyway, we waited yet another 1 1/2 hours before being picked up again.

 

We were made to sign a contract with Buffalo tours. Nowhere in the contract does it say that there would be additional charges should ports change. Also, we kept getting un-customer friendly emails from them telling us that they were no longer making a profit and in fact one email told us that the company was taking the money out of her salary.

 

The tour prices were set by them, not by us. We signed a contract and also we had a receipt of paid in full. We also waited in total about 4 hours for their tour guides to show up and missed out on many sights.

 

Buffalo tours in unscrupulous. I do not recommend anyone use them as they are not customer friendly, and are constantly trying to nickel and dime their customers to get more money from them. I have already written to Frommer's to ask them to not recommend them in their tour books. This was a very unpleasant experience.

[greatam]

This was a very unpleasant experience.

 

 

The situations you encountered are very common problems in Vietnam and Cambodia. These countries are just starting to realize what a market/capitalistic economy is. Most starting in business try to sell on price. This makes quite a few of the older, established businesses try to compete against the newcomers on price and they all fail miserably. Very bad customer relations, but they just don't get it.

 

I travel frequently for business in Vietnam and Cambodia. You don't know how many times I have been quoted hotel rooms, transport and translators, only to have the price "upped" when it is actually time to pay the bill. And yes, the common theme is always "we aren't making a profit", "you changed your route", "you want more than we agreed to" (this one is REALLY common)

 

ME: Yes, I want the hotel room, with breakfast included. Yes, the room has a TV. Yes, I want the room safe. And yes, I need two towels.

 

Vietnamese: "Oops, that is more than we agreed to-you pay extra for towels. We won't make profit if we have to wash extra towels".

 

One big reason I always recommend IndoChina Travel. They are based in BOTH the US and Vietnam. They UNDERSTAND what it takes to provide service to a customer, especially a US CRUISE customer (20yo backpackers are a whole 'nother ballgame).

 

Travel agencies based in Hanoi are MUCH more prone to bad service/price gouging than Saigon based agencies. It truly is the culture-Northern Vietnam still acts very much like the old Communist country-take it or leave it, you are at our mercy. The South had large exposure to US customs, pricing and customer service all during the war.

 

Sorry for your bad experience and thanks for posting the agency who treated you so badly. Someday, the Vietnamese/Cambodians MAY understand that the price is the price and they need to figure out what it takes to make a profit BEFORE they quote the price.

[mtlcruiser10]

On the rapshody january 15 samething they (viet value travel mme Ha ) charge us $40 extra in Danang but they wait until we where half way on the tour , 2 hour away from the ship to ask for the extra what can we do in the middle of no where , but the day before they (viet value travel mme Ha ) advice us change in the pick up but not the increase in price , talk with them when we got in the car over cell in the morning not a word about the extra only after a few hour

so beware of viet value travel they will not respect their contract

 

p.s i don t complaint for the amount but the way it was done they should offer us the new pick up for the extra amount or we could have gone to original pick up ? put to be pin agains the wall that i can t take

overall very nice place to visit

sorry for my bad english

[Bootman4U]

I'm certain IndochinaTravel is quite good and reputable but you have to be aware that the company clearly states they do not organize tours/trips for any amount less than $2500 per person.

[greatam]

I'm certain IndochinaTravel is quite good and reputable but you have to be aware that the company clearly states they do not organize tours/trips for any amount less than $2500 per person.

 

The "normal" package tour price is $250-500.00 per day. This includes food, hotels, visas, transport, etc. for an on-the-ground land trip. This is not the prie for a day trip.

 

Unless they have VERY recently (like in the last 2 months) instituted a new policy, they can arrange day trips. It is NOT their primary business, granted.

 

But they have the connections and employees to provide cruise pax a PREMIUM experience. May not be the cheapest, but will definitely not have glitches, upcharges or other problems so prevalent in the emerging Vietnam tourist industry.