Northern Vietnam
Entrance Fees as per itinerary
Sightseeing as per itinerary
Arrival Transfer
Departure Transfer
Hanoi City tour
Hanoi Cyclo tour
Overnight Sleeper Train from Hanoi to Sapa
Overnight Sleeper Train from Sapa to Hanoi
Halong Bay overnight cruise
All transport (in private air conditioned vehicles) while on tour as per itinerary
All accommodation based on Twin Share with daily breakfast
Meals as per itinerary (B, L, D)
Services of English speaking Tour Guide during guided times
A Keystone Journeys Escort for tour duration
The main sites listed in the trip dossier
International flights and taxes
Pre and Post tour accommodation
Single room (upgrade) accommodation
Meals not listed in the itinerary
Items of a personal nature & spending money
Travel Insurance and Visas
Tips
Vehicles and group size
We utilize an air conditioned vehicle. Other
forms of transport used will be smaller local vehicles and boats. The
group size will be maximum 10 passengers and minimum 6 passengers.
Accommodation
We
stay in a variety of accommodations. All
hotels are based on 3.5 / 4 Star Classic or Superior Rooms. The hotels
have a check in time of 2pm and a check out time of 12pm. Early check-in
and late-check out can be arranged at a surcharge. All accommodation is
based on Twin / Double share rooms. You can request a Single room for a
Single Supplement.
Meals
All meals are included as per itinerary - B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner.
Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate. Broadly speaking, the weather in Vietnam is dictated by two monsoon seasons - the southwest monsoon from April to September and the northeast monsoon from October to late March or early April. While people often equate monsoons with rain, that is only partly the case in Vietnam as there are a number of regional variations that affect the rain. What is worth remembering though is the southwest monsoon is hot and the northeast monsoon cool.
The southwest monsoon primarily effects Southern Vietnam - warming up the Mekong Delta through Saigon and all along the coastal strip as far north as between Qui Nhon and Da Nang. It also influences the Central Highlands region.
The northeast monsoon effects the north bringing lower temperatures to Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Sapa and the the coastal strip as far south as around Hue.
Temperatures only drop to what could only be considered cool in Hanoi, the mountainous north and the Central Highlands (in the evening). For the majority of the country, the temperature swings between the mid 20s to low 30s year-round.
Southern Vietnam, including the Mekong Delta, sees most of its rainfall between May and October, peaking in June.
Northern Vietnam gets the wet from May to October, with August being the wettest month. The cooler months of December and January also see heavy mists that can run for days - these can reduce visibility in places like Sapa and Ha Long Bay to frustratingly short distances.
Each country has its own currency as follows: Vietnam is the Dong and in Cambodia it is the Riel
Vietnam: The official currency is Dong. The Dong is non-convertible and at the time of writing trades at approximately 15,580 to USD1. The US dollar, preferably crisp clean bills, is widely accepted among major shops and restaurants. Travelers checks can be cashed at authorized foreign exchange outlets and banks and require presentation of passport. There is normally a 2 to 5 percent transaction fee for cashing Travelers checks. Visa and Master card are becoming more accepted in many of the bigger hotels and restaurants, especially in the larger cities. Make sure that the Vietnamese notes you receive are not torn, this because many shops and restaurants will not accept them. Also try not to change too much money at one time, as you will end up with a large wad of notes. The largest denomination is currently 500,000 dong (approx. US$ 33). The government introduced new 500,000 and 50,000 notes made from plastic (like Australian dollars), rather than the regular paper notes. In 2004 Vietnam introduced coins for smaller transactions. These are in the form of 200; 1,000 and 5,000 Dong. Other paper denominations include 5,000; 10,000 and 20,000, 50,000, 100000, 200000. Most are clearly identifiable by color. There are a number of international banks operating in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with 24hour cash withdrawal facilities, including ANZ Bank in Hanoi and the HSBC in Ho Chi Minh City. Here cash can be withdrawn on Visa and Master cards as well as other cards such as Cirrus.
Cambodia: The official Cambodian currency is known as the Riel. American dollars are widely accepted in Cambodia and even preferred in larger stores and supermarkets. However, the riel is more practical and economical to use for smaller, day to day items such as buying fruits and vegetables and paying moto drivers, etc.There are several ATMs in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. However, we advise that you do not rely solely on this ATM being operational. Bring travelers cheques or US dollars with you when you visit Cambodia for the rural areas. Banks change all major currencies with relatively little hassle. Tourists with traveler cheques are advised to cash them at the bank as few shops and other outlets have facilities to change them and those that do may charge a high commission. Several banks offer cash advances on major credit cards. Heading to the countryside it is recommended that you carry cash with you (in small notes as people may have difficulty in getting change) as banks are not always available. Carry your money in a way that you will feel most comfortable with e.g. money belt, wallet etc. You may want to carry a combination of travellers’ checks, credit/debit cards, cash or all three. It’s always a good precaution to split your money about your person and/or wallet. Make sure to keep some cash in small denominations for last minute purchases, as well as airport taxes (see below). Most hotels offer safe-keeping for your valuables if you so wish.
We can book pre-tour accommodation at the departure hotel for you if you provide us with your arrival details. You will need to pay for your room upon arrival.
We depart from the Maison d'Hanoi Havana Hotel
No. 35 -37 Hang Trong Street,
Hoan Kiem District,
Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: (84-4) 3 9380 999
Fax: (84-4) 3 9380 989
Email: info@hanovahotel.com
website: www.havanahotel.com
Located in center of the capital, the newly built Maison d'Hanoi Hanova Hotel is conveniently situated just a stroll away from the famous Hoan Kiem Lake, and the old city, it provides easy access other famous attractions of Hanoi. This Hanoi Hotel of 55 rooms is a modernized classic, referencing Hanoi French colonial past with its Asian Art Deco façade. Inside, the mix of French colonial and Asian accents continues, with colors and decorations evoking Hanoi's long history.
Arrival and departure transfers are included if arriving on the day before Day 1 or Day 1 and departing on Day 20. If arriving or departing before / after these days, transfers can be arranged as follows: *Rates subject to change
Hanoi:
USD30.00 each way/ vehicle - 1 to 2 passengers
USD35.00 each way / vehicle - 3 to 4 passengers
USD38.00 each way / vehicle - 5 to 8 passengers
USD49.00 each way / vehicle - 9 to 16 passengers