Destinations: Hanoi - Vu Linh - Ba Be lake - Bao Lac - Dng Van - Ha Giang - Bac Ha - Sapa - Muong Lay - Dien Bien Phu - Laos (Kung Khoa) - Pak Beng - Luang Prabang - Phonsvan - Vieng Xay - Mai Chau - Tam Coc - Hanoi - Halong bay cruise.
Highlights: Hanoi capital city, wonderful landscape, lake and hill tribes in Vu Linh, Ba Be. Stunning valleys and colorful minoorities in Ha Giang, Bac Ha, Sapa, Dien Bien and Mai Chau. Majestic mountainous and differnent people in Laos, enjoy the rowing boat trip in Tam Coc and overnight on Halong bay cruise.
Vietnam - Laos Motorcyle Tour - 23 days / 22 nights
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Day 2: Hanoi – Vulinh (180 km, 6 hours riding)
Day 3: Vu Linh – Ba Be (180 km, 6 hours riding)
Day 4: Ba Be – Bao Lac (150 km, 6 hours riding)
Day 5: Bao Lac – Dong Van (100 km, 3 hours riding)
Day 6: Dong Van – Ha Giang (145 km, 5 hours riding)
Day 7: Ha Giang – Bac Ha (200 km, 7 hours riding)
Day 8: Bac Ha – Sapa (120 km, 5 hours riding)
Day 9: Sapa
Day 10: Sapa – Muong Lay (200 km, 7 hours riding)
Day 11: Muong Lay – Dien Bien (105 km, 3 hours riding)
Day 12: Dien Bien – Laos (Muong Khoa) (120 km, 4 hours riding)
Day 13: Muong Khoa – Pak Beng (220 km, 6 hours riding)
Day 14: Pak Beng – Luang Prabang (8 hour boat trip)
Day 15: Luang Prabang
Day 16: Luang Pra Bang – Phonsavan – The plain of Jars (250 km, 7 hours riding)
Day 17: Phonsavan – Vieng Xay (260 km, 8 hours riding)
Day 18: Vieng Xay – Mai Chau (250 km, 8 hours riding)
Day 19: Mai Chau – Tam Coc (100 km, 4 hours riding)
Day 20: Tam Coc – Hanoi (100 km, 4 hours riding)
Day 21: Hanoi – Halong Cruise ~ 165 km by car
Day 22: Halong Cruise – Hanoi
Day 23: Hanoi Departure
Description: This Vietnam & Laos tour by motobike will offer you the most beautiful landcsapes and different minorities in Northen Vietnam and Laos. Start your trip from Hanoi with a good motor to the mountainous province in the North then go through Laos then back to Hanoi with an overnight cruise in Halong Long bay. Be sure that you will have a great and unforgetable Vietnam motorcycle tour with Vivutravel.
Your choice for motorcycles (from 1- 5: Honda future 125cc, Hondaglpro 160cc, Hondaxl125cc, Minsk125cc, Hondaxr250cc)
TOUR ITINERARY
Please contact us at info@vivutravel.com for booking and more information
NOTE: The above tour prices are estimated per person & applied for group of 2 persons! Depending on your favorite hotels, traveling dates & group sizes, the tour prices will be updated! Please contact us at info@vivutravel.com for further information!
Upon arrival, our private Vietnam Tours guide and driver will welcome your Vietnam Holiday to Hanoi, a city where the exotic chic of old Asia blends with the dynamic face of new Asia. Where the medieval and modern co-exist.
A city with a blend of Parisian grace and Asian pace, an architectural museum piece evolving in harmony with its history, rather than bulldozing through like many of the region’s capitals. Hanoi is where imagination becomes reality.
Free at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
Pick up from your hotel to our office, we will spend 30 minutes for the guide to do briefing about the trip and how to ride in Vietnam also to get used to with the bike before we start our trip to Thac Ba Lake which has an area of 23,400 ha and 1,331 islands and hills with diverse ecological environments. The water in the lake is blue and clear, and imprinted with the reflections of the surrounding ancient forest.
On arrival to Vu Linh ethnic village of Dao minority by the side of the lake, it is your time to do leisure walk to explore this beautiful village and people life. Tonight, the welcome is exceptional with a lot of local rice-wine from the host is surely one of the highlights of the trip.
Overnight in homestay.
Today we continue to Babe lake & national park where the landscape is amazing and the homestay is another unique experience. Upon your arrival, you are free at leisure to do the boat trip (own expense) or walk to explore the village of the Tay people.
Overnight in homestay of a Tay family.
After the breakfast, let spend your time to visit a local market in town before riding to Dong Van. The highlight will be the Ma Phi Leng pass, very high but offering great feeling and amzing view. Upon arrival, check in your hotel.
Overnight in Dong Van
Morning visit to Dong Van old street and if it falls on Sunday and if it falls on Sunday, you will have great opportunity to visit the weekly maket of Dong Van where gathers many ethnic groups and their local products. The market is like a festival for the local to enjoy the time with friends, talking, drinking...
Continue to Ha Giang with stop at the Vuong palace and Heaven Gate in Quan Ba. Overnight in Ha Giang.
In the morning, depends on the date, we will have opportunity to visit one of the colorful markets as below:
Market days:
Can Cau - Saturdays
Bac Ha - Sundays
Cao Son - Wednesdays.
Coc Ly – Tuesdays
Around noon, heading to Sapa. Check in on arrival. Overnight in Sapa.
The Queen of the Mountains, Sapa sits regally overlooking a beautiful valley, lofty mountains towering over the town on all sides. Welcome to the destination in northwest Vietnam, gateway to another world of mysterious minority cultures and luscious landscapes. The spectacular scenery that surrounds Sapa includes cascading rice terraces that spill down the mountains like a patchwork quilt.
The mountains are often shrouded in mist that rolls back and forth along the peaks, offering tantalising glimpses of what lies in wait on a clear day. The valleys and villages around Sapa are home to a host of hill-tribe people who wander in to town to buy, sell and trade.
Today is free at leisure to relax or visit Sapa on own. Overnight in Sapa.
After breakfast, we leave Sapa for Muong Lay, formerly known as Lai Chau, this small town is nestled in a pretty valley carved from spectacular mountains by the Da River. We will visit “Silver Waterfall”, “Heaven Gate” and many interesting ethnic villages and markets on the way.
We end up this beautiful day in Muong Lay in a hotel.
Moning boat trip to explore Black river and some ethnic villages before our ride to Dien Bien (the decisive battle in the Indochina War).
Upon arrival, we visit some historical sites such as Dien Bien Phu Museum, the bunker headquarters of French commander, Colonel Christian de Casties, A1 hill-where bitter fighting took place. Overnight in Dien Bien.
Today, we cross Tay Trang border to Laos, heading to Muong Khoa, a small lovely town by Nam U River. The ride to Muong Khoa is very difficult on dirt road but interesting and fun.
Overnight in Muong Khoa.
Lao is a green country, during the day, you will see green hills and mountains, via Uodomxay, the heart of north Laos, we continue to Pak Beng with stunning view of Lao mountains and countryside. Upon arrival, check in a guest house in Pak Beng.
Overnight in Bak Beng.
After breakfast, we take the boat trip down majestic MeKong River to Luong Prabang. The boat trip will take around 8 hours so this will be the day at leisure.
Overnight in Luong Prabang
Free day at leisure for your own visit Luong Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995, the town of Luang Prabang is not only known for its fusion of Lao and French colonial architecture but also for its many Buddhist temples.
Most visitors come here to relax and soak up the atmosphere while enjoying a cold Lao beer and a warm French baguette. Overnight in Luong Prabang.
A long day of riding up and down the mountains of Laos to Xieng Khoang. Upon arrival, visit the Plain of Jars which is a large group of historic cultural sites in Laos containing thousands of stone jars.
This area is very famous during the Vietnam War and Secret War. Today, you can still see many vestiges even at the hotel.
Continue the trip to Vieng Xay- The former Pathet Lao (PL) revolutionary headquarters of Vieng Xay sit in a striking valley of fertile hills and limestone cliffs riddled with caves, several of which were used to shelter PL officers during the Second Indochina War.
The town is famous for the caves in which the stoic officers and some 23, 000 people found shelter, but Vieng Xai itself is unbearably pretty. Manmade lakes spot the landscape and wildflowers explode in crimson and yellow to join the emerald and karst backdrop.
The beauty of the terrain somehow underscores the decimation it suffered during the American bombing campaign. Overnight in Vieng Xay.
Beautiful ride on the village road and picturesque mountains to Na Neo border gate, back to Vietnam again, continue to Mai Chau, and idyllic valley populated by mainly White Thai ethnic people and the valley is characterized with beautiful limestone mountains.
In the evening, we can enjoy a local dinner and overnight in a beautiful village at the edge of a river. After dinner, you can spend the evening sitting together around a fire and join in a Thai traditional music show. In their traditional attire, typical of their culture, Thai women invite visitors to participate in the Xoe dance.
To the rhythmical and ebullient music, the hosts and guests will dance for hours hand-in-hand. When they get tired, they stop for a while to drink special sticky rice liquor called "ruou can". Visitors who participate in the Xoe dance once, especially by the light of a fire at night are likely to remember it forever.
Halong Cruise must be the most beautiful tour in Vietnam for any visitors to Vietnam. This morning, after breakfast, we drive to Halong Bay (165km), Vietnam most scenic sight, a recognized World Natural Heritage Site and highlight of any Vietnam Tours.
Upon arrival, board your traditional wooden junk. Welcome drink on board. After a relaxing break, enjoy a delicious seafood lunch while cruising through the wonderful Ha Long bay visiting its amazing grottoes and caves.
Opportunity to dive off the boat and have a pleasant swimming in the deep blue water of East Sea before relaxing on your sun deck to view a Halong sunset. Dinner on board with excellent fresh seafood. Overnight on board.
It is said that your Vietnam Tours will not be complete without a trip to Halong Bay and spending one night on romantic Halong Cruise. People describe Halong Bay as majestic and mysterious, inspiring and imperious and words alone cannot do justice to the natural wonder that is Halong Bay.
Imagine 3000 or more incredible islands rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin and you have a vision of breathtaking beauty. Halong Bay is pure art, a priceless collection of unfinished sculptures hewn from the hand of nature.
It is absolutely true when you get up early to catch the sunrise on the bay, doing Ta Chi on sundeck and relax with a cup of hot coffee or tea when the boat cruising to explore more of Halong Bay.
All make your Vietnam Holiday with full sweet memory. Back to Halong city at around noon where Vivutravel's private guide and driver are waiting for the transfer back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.
It is said that your Vietnam Tours will not be complete without a trip to Halong Bay and spending one night on romantic Halong Cruise. People describe Halong Bay as majestic and mysterious, inspiring and imperious and words alone cannot do justice to the natural wonder that is Halong Bay.
Imagine 3000 or more incredible islands rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin and you have a vision of breathtaking beauty. Halong Bay is pure art, a priceless collection of unfinished sculptures hewn from the hand of nature. It is absolutely true when you get up early to catch the sunrise on the bay, doing Ta Chi on sundeck and relax with a cup of hot coffee or tea when the boat cruising to explore more of Halong Bay.All make your Vietnam Holiday with full sweet memory.
Back to Halong city at around noon where Vivutravel's private guide and driver are waiting for the transfer back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.
Free time at leisure for you to wrap up your memorial Vietnam Tours until Vivutravel's private guide will see you off at the airport with the sincere thanks for traveling with Vivutravel.
We hope that you have enjoyed your Vietnam Motorcycle Tours with us and look forward to welcoming your next Vietnam Tours. Vivutravel says goodbye and see you again!!!
ABOUT VIVUTRAVEL
Vivutravel is a local, trustworthy and professional Vietnam tour operator, offering a wide range of Vietnam and Indochina tour packages to the most exciting destinations at most competitive price. Our Business License Number is 0104000493 and our International Tour Operator License Number is 01 – 258. We are very pleased to be a member of Vietnam Administration of Tourism with financial guarantee – a deposit of 1.000,000,000 million Vietnam Dong (US$ 50,000) in a bank of Vietnam. Besides that, we are also official members of VISTA (Vietnam Society of Travel Agents), PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) and higky recommended on Tripadvisor.
Are you planning your Vietnam motorcycle tour, but not sure how to arrange the trip? Getting lost in many tour options? Being sick of searching...? Just leave your troubles behind to read our Vietnam travel guide and send us your requests. Your private travel consultant at Vivutravel will help you design a perfectly suggested tour itinerary and quote which are tailor made to suit your wishes and budget.
* How to plan my Vietnam tour with you?
1. Send us an inquiry by submitting one of our online tour inquiry forms (Click). Tell us as much information as possible. For examples;
- Please tell us how many people will be traveling with you?
- Please tell us your preferred hotels, level of hotel (3, 4 or 5 stars), type of hotel, type of room...
- Please tell us your type of travel, length of travel and activities that you are interested in. For example; Family with kids, Couple's vacation, Honeymoon, Friends, Shopping, Sightseeing, Leisure and Relaxing, Cuisine & Cooking, Kayaking, Caves & Grottoes, Fishing, Swimming, Hiking, Minority, Adventure & Discovery...
- Please tell us where and what you want to visit. If you do not know much about Vietnam and Indochina, just give us your travel plan and ideas and we will create a suggested tour for you.
- Most of our tour guides are English speaking tour guides, but if you want another language like French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese... we can always arrange. Please tell us what you do you expect from your guides, for example; you want a guide with sense of humor? Good knowledge in history & culture? Male/Female guide? Talkative/untalkative? Young/Old guide?
- Please advise if you want breakfast included only or also lunch and dinner. Please let us know if you are a vegetarian, the food you can eat or can't? If you want local food in local restaurants or western food in tourist restaurant...? Actually, you do not have to send us all information, but the more we know, the better we plan your holiday.
2. After having received your inquiry, one of our professional Vietnam travel consultants will email and give you a proposal.
3. If you accept the proposal (you may modify it till you are satisfied with it), we will calculate the tour cost and send you the tour price. If you accept it, please confirm that you would like to book it.
* How Travel Experts at Vivutravel Service you?
"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at Vivutravel.
Everyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.
1-on-1 Travel Consultant
After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.
Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in Vietnam and Indochina, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.
* How to proceed to book Vietnam and Indochina tour with you?
When you decide to book your Vietnam and Indochina holiday with us, please send us your full names (name on passport) for hotel and domestic flight reservations, and your international flight details in and out Vietnam/Indochina for airport transfers / pick up & see off.
* How to pay the deposit and the balance?
Deposit: When the booking is completely confirmed, we will send you confirmation details including confirmed itinerary, invoice, voucher then deposit request of about 30% of the total tour cost (can be less). You can pay by credit cards (via onepay gateway, pay online), make wire transfer, western union. The deposit is used to pay the flight tickets, hotels, train tickets in advance.
Balance: You can pay the rest 2 weeks before your arrival, or you can pay us on your arrival in Vietnam by credit cards, cash (AUD, USD, EUROS, VND...)
* How to enjoy the tour?
Our job is to make your holiday a memorable experience. To make sure you will have a great time, there are something that we should share;
When you request the tour: Please let us know your personal interests so our travel consultants will design and include in the itinerary, or take notes for the hotels, tour guide, restaurants...
Before you come: One week before your arrival. we always send our clients an email to update about the weather and climate, booking status, and remind you to prepare/check the documents, visa...for the holiday.
When on tour: The tour is fixed, but you can always discuss with us if you want to make it more flexible. For example, you want to make some changes in the itinerary, restaurant (meals), tour guide... please just let us know, we will do the best for you.
Tour guide: Please let us know what do you expect from your tour guides and we will arrange the right ones for you.
* Can you buy the international flight tickets for us?
Yes, we do. However, we advise you to buy the flight tickets in and out Vietnam from your end as it is always cheaper than if booked in here.
* Do you offer any discounts?
Yes, we offer discounts for;
- Family with kids and children < 12 years old
- Disable people
- Old people (> 65 years old)
- Second trip with us
- Big group
* How can I pay you the money?
1) Credit card; (secure online payment gateway via Onepay)
ONEPAY - ONLINE PAYMENT GATEWAY (VISA, MASTERCARD, AMEX & JCB ACCEPTED)
Like PayPal, OnePAY is a payment gateway but specialized in Vietnam where the PayPal has not yet reached. This is a perfect and the first payment processor which gains reputation among clients about its efficiency and timely friendly support.
OnePAY in cooperation with biggest bank in Vietnam - Vietcombank which has been implemented this service among many tour operators in Vietnam.
OnePAY is approved by MasterCard for this payment collection on the behalf of us. OnePAY uses SSL Verisign® over internet transaction under 3D-Secure program by respective creditcard companies so you are free from worries your card information disclosed. OnePAY payment portal also meets standards of international financial system such as PCI DSS of PCI Security Standards Council, 3D-Secure of Visa, MasterCard and JCB.
2) Wire transfer (bank transfer)
3) Cash
4) Western union
5) Combination
* Is there any charge if i change my travel plan such as travel dates, tour itinerary, hotels,...?
We are happy to work on your requests, and will not charge you any money. However, if it is too urgent and the date is too close, the hotels or airlines may chare you some money, in this case we will let you know.
* What is the latest time that I can make my reservation?
We suggest you make reservations at least one month before the departure date. If you decide to travel to Vietnam in May, September or October which is peak season, we recommend you make the reservations two months (at least one) before your departure date. Late reservations can not be guaranteed for the availability of domestic flights, hotel rooms, etc.
However, we DO accept late reservations, things are possible at Vivutravel.
* What about Cancellation policy?
In case of cancellation, we will not impose any charges if we are not being charged and possible to get refund from our suppliers but if our suppliers apply charges for cancellation, you will have to pay those charges that apply. Cancellation policies vary, depending upon the type of service, the time of year, and the reason for cancellation. We will pass on to you all details of any cancellation policy with our transparent reply upon demand.
General cancellation charges that applied by travel services in Vietnam and Indochina.
- Domestic flights: 25% of the fares
- 3 star hotels, no charge if you cancel 5 -7 days before your arrival. (FIT)
- 4 star hotels, no charge if you cancel 10 - 15 days before your arrival (FIT)
- 5 stars hotels, no charge if you cancel 15 - 20 days before your arrival (FIT)
However, in peak season, we may have to pay the hotels one month before your arrival to secure the booking, and in this case, the cancellation policy will be based on the hotels' cancellation plolicies.
* Can we get refund?
For the unused services, Vivutravel will refund you the money.
* How do I get a visa?
Vietnam Visa - For those who would like to avoid the perhaps lengthening visa procedures with their local Vietnam's Embassies, the service of Vietnam Visa On Arrival is available for help. It is legitimated and supported by the Vietnamese Immigration Department. We recommend that you choose visa upon arrival, as picking up visa at the Vietnam int'l airport/border is quite simple, easy, no additional charges and no fail.
Steps to obtain Visa on arrival
a) Please provide the following information for us to apply for your visa.
1) Full name on passport
2) Passport number
3) Date of birth
4) Nationality
5) Date of arrival
6) Date of issue
7) Date of expire
8) Please make sure that your passport is still valid for 6 months
You can apply Vietnam visa online through our www.vietnamvisaprovider.com.
b) How long does it take?
It will take 2-3 days (Normal process), 01 day (Urgent process) to get the “Visa Approval Letter” which we will send you via mail. What you need is to print it out and take it along to get the stamp at airports/borders
c) Get the stamp
Upon arrival, you will need to fill in a certain form with your personal information, get the stamp and visa will be done. For this process, you will need to prepare 02 photos (4*6) and $25 USD each in cash which is stamping fee.
* Do our tour guides and drivers have meals with us?
The guide and the driver in each destination will dine at the same restaurant as yours. But, they will not join you unless you invite them.
* Where can I exchange our money into Vietnam currency?
We advise you to stop in any of a Vietnamese bank during the tour (Our tour guides will take you to the bank), you can also exchange money at your hotel, but the exchange rate is not really good.
* Can I use credit cards in Vietnam?
Major credit cards such as Master Card, Visa, Diner's Card, American Express and JCB can be used to purchase goods in large shopping malls and stores in the big and medium cities, to pay for hotel rooms and for meals in some of the fancier restaurants, and to buy plane tickets with them.
Note: If you are to travel to those small cities or even remote rural areas, only cash in Dong can be used.
* Do I need to bring my medical record with me?
Yes, we suggest you take your medical record with you in case that you need it in the event of an emergency, and please also take with you your doctor's name, address and phone number, emergency contact name and phone number, and your insurance company's name, address and phone number.
* When I finish my tour in Vietnam, if I still have some local money, what can I do?
Upon leaving Vietnam, if you still have some local money, you can change them back to foreign currency with your passport and the exchange memos given by the banks or money exchange counters. So please keep those exchange memos well whenever you change money.
* Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory, but expected by your tour guide and driver. We advise you to tip as below:
- US$10 - $15 per day for tour guide
- US$7 - US$10 per day for driver
Note:
- Tipping can be more or less or nothing that depends on how big is the group? And how do you enjoy our services?
- Other tipping for tuktuk, sampan boat, cyclo,... please check with your tour guide during the tour.
* Shopping
Vivutravel guarantees "no shopping tour", which means we protect you from the tourist shopping centers or traps. However, if you want to buy something, our travel consultants, tour guides will give you suggestions, advices and help you buy to avoid being overcharged.
Bargaining is a "Must" when buying something in Vietnam and Indochina.
Vivutravel believes that a good choice of accommodation will be the key factor for a successful holiday, and for many years of experience in tourism, we have created a list of the best hotels and resorts each destination that offer us both more benefits of competitive rates, early birds, guaranteed promotion and discounts with availability.
We pick the selected hotels for you as below:
Location: The hotels must be centrally – located, close to the main attractions and most convenient for you to enjoy your holiday.
Facility & Service Quality: Vivutravel only uses the hotels that are regularly and strictly inspected. The hotel must provide international standards and your every need is cared for by the hotel staff.
Variety in Choice: As Vivutravel offers different styles of tour such as honeymoon,, family, adventure, discovery, homestay,... so we will offer many styles and grades of hotels which are available for different budgets, tastes and culture backgrounds.
Hotel Information for planning your holiday and stay.
2 Stars - From US$35 - US$40:
We hardly use 2 star hotels for our clients but sometimes we have no choice if your trip is in the mountainous or remote areas. Basically, 2 star hotels will offer good size and clean guest rooms with AC, TV, hot water, shower and private bathrooms
3 Stars - From US$40 - US$80:
Offering basic needs for a comfortable stay, good size and clean guest rooms with Free access high speed Internet, Welcome baskets and drinking water, Telephone with international dialing, Electronic safe box in room, Hairdryer, Coffee and Tea, Wake-up service, AC, TV, hot water, shower and private bathrooms. On-site restaurants with breakfast included and lunch or dinner at your own pick up. A small fitness center, spa and swimming pool can be expected.
4 Stars - From from US$80 - US$130:
Offering a wide range of comfortable boutique hotels are available with shopping, dining and entertainment facilities nearby. Featuring quality service, fully furnished rooms, restaurants, fitness center with spa (and swimming pool in most cases), the hotels are expected to offer an above-average accommodation experience.
5 Stars - from US$130 - US$200 – US$ 300:
Offering an extensive range of facilities for an excellent accommodation experience. Multiple restaurants on site and a wide range of choice for buffet breakfast, good size of swimming pool, fitness center and concierge service round out the experience.
Tour guide and driver are Vivutravel's representatives and your travel companions during your travel in Vietnam and Indochina who take care of our travel services and make your holiday a memorable time. Understanding this, Vivutravel always selects the best tour guides and drivers for tours.
Private Guide & Transfer
Vivutravel's tour packages are private and tailor made so during your travel with us, you will have a private tour guide, private driver, and an air-conditioned vehicle escorting you at every destination you travel to. This will provide you with maximized personal care, security, and flexibility.
Tour Guide:
We do understand that a good tour guide will make your holiday a beautiful time and tour guides who work with us are well-paid, experienced with a university background, eager to exchange our culture, lifestyle, knowledge...with travelers, and have a great passion for their country and understand the personal touch.
Note: In Sapa or some mountainous areas, we may use local tour guides who come from the ethnic groups like H'Mong, or Red Dao as they know better than anyone else about their land, culture, customs and habits... and this is also the way that Vivutravel helps the local people a better life.
Vivutravel's requirements for a tour guide:
1 - Licensed at least for 4 years with working experience.
2 - Guiding does require more than just hanging out in the sun. Guides must be friendly and good with people, organized enough to keep groups or people on schedule, quick on their feet and ready for the inevitable snafus that arises.
3 - Must be an honest broker of their services and able to take criticism.
4 - Should be qualified at some level in health, health care or first aid.
5 - Able to relate to people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds.
6 - Clear speech and good hearing.
7 - Must not be a alcoholic or No-alcohol during working time or anytime when on tour.
8 - Tour guide is a nurse to take care of visitors, a boss to keep the right itinerary, a teacher to give information, an ambassador to introduce our country, an entertainer
9 - Must be on time every time. Being late or delay is unacceptable.
10 - Check flight tickets, train tickets, meals, weather... to make sure things are in order and inform local office if any changes that might effect the tour.
11 - Solve problems with care when there is dissatisfy. Argument should be averted by courtesy.
12 - If any change of itinerary is needed for unexpected reasons, your private tour guides will be more than accommodating in suggesting alternatives to ensure that you always have a wonderful experience.
Transportation:
Vivutravel guarantees to offer the best means of transport during your holiday in Vietnam and Indochina. The safety, comfort and security of our customers come first. We use only the latest modern cars, vans, coaches and all our drivers are full time workers, government licensed in the tourism industry with at least 5 years driving experience. We are fully in control of our quality and service as we own our vehicles.
Vivutravel's requirements for a tour driver.
- Our drivers must be good drivers with at least 5 years of experience
- Our drivers must keep the vehicles clean,
- Our drivers are not allowed to hear cell-phone or smoke, chat, drink when driving.
- Our drivers must be friendly, helpful.
- Our drivers are not allowed to take you to shops unless you ask for.
- Your vehicle in each destination is air conditioned, insured, clean, and regularly maintained.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory, but expected by your tour guide and driver. We advise you to tip as below:
- US$10 - $15 per day for tour guide
- US$7 - US$10 per day for driver
- Tipping can be more or less or nothing that depends on how big is the group? And how do you enjoy our services?
- Other tipping for tuktuk, sampan boat, cyclo,... please check with your tour guide during the tour.
Indochina holiday to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand offers you some of the world's best food and it is really the highlight of your travel. Vivutravel tends to include meals where necessary and when special. Other meals are at your own choices.
Breakfast:
Breakfast is included at all hotels and is buffet breakfast with Asian and Western food.
Lunch
Lunches (if included) are usually set menu at handpicked local restaurant with comfortable dining environment where you can rest assure to taste the local flavor. All restaurants are carefully selected and highly recommended.
If allergic to some food
We suggest you to list any food or ingredients that you are allergic to and let our travel consultant know. Then your travel consultant will mark them in the guide’s itinerary, so that our reservation's team and tour guides in different cities can make some preparations and arrangements in advance.
Dinner
Dinners are only included if you stay overnight in a homestay, overnight on cruise in Halong Bay, Mekong Delta or at some special occasions such as welcome dinner, farewell dinner or on requested. So dinners are at your own choice and arrangement, but Vivutravel's tour guide will always give you good suggestions based on your preferences.