Starting PointHolidays Hotel
27 Quoc Tu Giam
Hanoi
Vietnam
Phone: +84 4 3747 4106
Fax: +84 4 3747 4338
Joining Point Instructions
An arrival transfer from the airport is available if arranged at the time of booking. Transfers cannot be arranged on arrival. Please advise your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to your departure. If you plan to arrive earlier, this arrival transfer can only be offered in conjunction with pre-tour accommodation booked through Intrepid.
Metered taxi ranks are available outside the airport entrance. Go out of the customs hall and walk through the airport exit gates A4 and A5 on level 1, you will find Noi Bai Airport taxis (+84 4 3886 8888) readily available outside. Noi Bai Airport taxi drivers wear yellow uniform shirt. Taxi fare to your hotel in town will cost approx. US$14 (VND230000) in total which. Please note these taxis are not on meter - but generally charge per trip. Please AVOID taxi touts who tell you that they have a metered taxi parked outside the airport.
If you have pre-booked an airport transfer you will be met on arrival, and your driver will be waiting for you as you get out of the customs hall and will be holding an Intrepid sign bearing your name.
Please note that neither the driver nor any representative should ask you for additional payment.
If you cannot find your pre-booked transfer, or you have any concerns about your transfer, please call our hotline at +84 903 117 770.
Normal check in time at the hotel is after 13:00.
Our Joining Point Hotel
The Holiday Hotel is situated in the heart of Hanoi near the historic Temple of Literature, Hanoi Train station and within walking distance to the "Old Quarter". Our hotel is also surrounded by many local cafes, restaurants, markets and street stalls. Rooms are comfortable and have wireless internet, air-conditioning, IDD phones, mini-bars, satellite TV & private bathrooms.
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Finishing PointHoang Gia Huy
48-50 Nguyen An Ninh St
District 1, Ben Thanh Ward
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
Phone: +84 8 3822 5876/3822 5895
Fax: +84 8 3822 5884
Finishing Point Instructions
A departure transfer from our hotel to the airport is available if arranged at the time of booking. Transfers cannot be arranged during the trip. Please advise your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to your trips start date. If you plan to stay longer, this departure transfer can only be offered in conjunction with post-tour accommodation booked through Intrepid. A metered taxi from the hotel to the airport should cost about US$7 (VND 120,000) and should take around 30 minutes (depending on traffic). If you have booked a post trip airport transfer, please ask your leader to confirm with our local operator the time of departure and meeting place. If you have any problems please call our hotline at +84 903 117 770. Check-out time from the hotel is 12 noon. If you are departing later, you can arrange luggage storage at the hotel.
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Group SizeMaximum of 14 travellers per group
The minimum age for children is 6 years old. All adults and/or guardians are fully responsible for their children throughout the duration of the trip. We allow a maximum of 2 children per adult and a maximum of 2 adults per child.
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Physical Rating - EasyYou are required to carry your pack on and off trains and buses, up hotel steps, etc. Your itinerary may include easy paced walks or bike rides, but these are on mainly flat ground.
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AccommodationHotels (12 nts), overnight train (1 nt), overnight boat (1 nt)
The style of accommodation described in the day to day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multi share basis. Please note there may be times when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we are arriving prior to normal check in time. However this is not always possible which means we will not be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
For families on trips we make use of triple and quad rooms (where available and required). Please note that on occasions additional beds may be fold-away beds or portable beds. If there is a family of 3 with 2 adults with 1 child, it may not be possible to use triple rooms. In these cases, one of the adults will share with the child and the other adult will share with another adult passenger in your group. If there are 2 adults travelling with 2 children, for safety and security reasons 1 adult will share with 1 child at all destinations on this trip. Soft sleeper class overnight trains have compartments with padded berths (four to a room), sheets, pillows, blankets and boiling water are all available. Most trains have a dining carriage and there are snacks available on the train along the way.
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MealsWhile travelling with us you will experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Generally, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your group leader will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. Please check the 'meal inclusions' section below for details of meals included.
Allow USD $230 for meals not included.
Meal Inclusions
14 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 1 Dinner
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Single SupplementA single supplement fee is not available on this trip.
Single travellers may be paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip.
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IncludedThis is a list of included activities on this trip. All other activities are optional and at your own expense. For a list of optional activities and sightseeing available on this trip, see the optional activities section below. If you choose not to participate in the included activities on this itinerary, the cost will not be refunded.
While these are all included activities, of course you have the choice to pass on any one of them if you need time with the family, or if you want to just relax. Our itinerary is flexible so you can do as much or as little as you like. Our included activities are selected because they capture the imaginations of our younger travellers and still interest the older ones.
Arrival airport transfer
Breakfast at KOTO's - Hanoi
Cyclo tour through Old Quarter - Hanoi
Water puppets in Hanoi - Hanoi
Boat cruise and meals on board - Halong Bay
Perfume River boat trip - Hue
Entrance to Imperial Citadel and Royal Tomb - Hue
Thien Mu Pagoda – Hue
Entrance to Ancient Town and orientation walk - Hoi An
Flight from Danang to Nha Trang
Boat trip including lunch and entrance to aquarium - Nha Trang
Flight from Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City
Market lunch - Ho Chi Minh City
Entrance to Dam Sen water park - Ho Chi Minh City
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Not IncludedInternational Flights
Optional Activities
We list the following optional activities for your information. This is not an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only.
They are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by the tour operator/agent nor included in price of this trip. If you do any of them, you do so at your own risk and it must be clearly understood that your participation is your own decision and does not form part of your contract with the tour operator/agent.
Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi – US$1
Women's Museum, Hanoi – US$1
Army Museum, Hanoi – US$1
Temple of Literature, Hanoi – US$1
Hoa Lo “Hanoi Hilton” Prison, Hanoi – US$1
Museum of Ethnology, Hanoi – US$1
Ho Chi Minh Complex, Hanoi – US$2
Taxi to each museum, Hanoi – approx US$3
Bicycle hire, Hue – US$1
Bicycle hire, Hoi An – US$2
My Son Cham Ruins including car transport, Hoi An – US$24
Thu Bon River Boat Trip, Hoi An – US$5
Mud Baths, including taxi, Nha Trang – from US$14
Bao Dai's Villa, including taxi, Nha Trang – from US$6
Reunification Palace, Ho Chi Minh City – US$2
War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City – US$1
Cyclo tour, Ho Chi Minh City – US$4
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TransportPlane, overnight train, train, minibus, boat, cyclo
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What to TakeWe recommend the use of a duffel bag or backpack (whichever you find easiest to carry). A good size daypack is also essential.
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Health & SafetyFor vaccinations please visit the
MDtravelhealth website.
Sun:
It is very important that you wear sun block, even on a cloudy day when it feels cool as we are near the equator and the sun is very strong. A sunburn can turn a pleasant trip into a painful trip.
Hydration
Even when days are cool please be sure to drink a minimum of two litres of water and refrain from drinking to many diuretics, as while when travelling outdoors the breeze can dehydrate you quickly as well as the heat.
Diarrhoea:
It is normal for people travelling overseas to get an upset stomach due to a change of climate and food. Please make sure that you wash your hands and stay away from street food.You will be required to complete a participation form on day 1 of the trip.
Participation Form
You may be required to complete a participation form on day 1 of the trip
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Important InfoPlease Note | While we operate successful trips in Vietnam throughout the year, some changes may occur in our itineraries due to inclement weather and common seasonal changes to timetables. During the rainy months (approximately October to January), transportation mode can be changed at short notice due to weather conditions.
TET is Vietnam's New Year festival, held annually generally in late January or early February; please see Country Information - Vietnam for the exact dates. You should expect shop closures and extremely busy transport. Some tourist sites are also closed. Although we make bookings far in advance, transport and accommodation providers tend to overbook their services at this time so a flexible approach from travellers is needed. Our itinerary, transport and visited sites may change in response to TET festivities.
This family adventure isdesigned for families only (ie at least one parent or legal guardian and at least one child.) The minimum age for children is 6 years old. All adults and/or guardians are fully responsible for their children throughout the duration of the trip. We allow a maximum of 2 children per adult and a maximum of 2 adults per child.
Please note that on occasions the flight between Danang to Nha Trang on day 10 may be covered by a day train rather than a flight.
Disclaimer | The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and tour operator/agent. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. This tour is run by Intrepid Travel.
Visas Please note that visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. The visa requirements for your trip vary depending on where you are from and where you are going.
Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your leader.
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