In our web
site, we provide over hundred tour
samples but if you do not find a
suitable trip, and want
Green Trail
Tours to do all the work for you,
just click on customized trip and
fill up the form or email us to tell us
what you have in mind. Our travel expert
will create a trip and provide
your with invaluable information!
How do
I book the trip ?
To book our
trip, please select your preferred trip
and click on " Book this trip" on web
page. Our booking form
wizard will automatically call the trip
name, and ask you to fill out some
fields for information. Once
completed filling the form , you just
click Submit to send us your enquiry or
Reset to cancel what you have filled up.
After receiving your reservation
request, we will immediately make all
the necessary arrangements in accordance
with your request. This will takes about
1-2 business days, and we will send to
you our confirmation message by e-mail
with all the details of hotels, flights,
tours, the booking status and also
payment term
Why
deposit for booking is required ?
The
deposit is essential, so that we know
you are serious in taking the tour. As
an important process of tour
arrangement, we have to secure
your space with related contractors
such as hotels, airlines, boat,...
This ensures that your tour will run
smoothly.
Are
there any hidden cost you do not
mention ? What about tipping ?
No, all inclusions and exclusions are
mentioned at our final confirmation for
your trip. Generally, tipping is not
compulsory. If you are satisfied with
your guides, drivers, a small gratuity
is an appropriate way in which to show
appreciation to them.
Who is
my guide ?
We have a
strong and multilingual guide team
coming from all regions of the country.
They are chosen for their
professionalism, rich knowledge,
commitment, personal ties with the
country and region and ability to
inspire and communicate with you. They
will be your dedicated friends during
and after your trip. Many of our
customers still exchange email with them
long after their trip.
What
about transportation ?
We try our
best to provide you safe and comfortable
means of transportation. You can find
information on meals, transportation,
etc. in the ''How we travel'' section
following the detail itinerary of each
tour.
When is
the best time to travel Vietnam ?
The climate
and temperature of Vietnam are
varied and different between regions so
you could travel Vietnam all year round.
At any time of the year, climate is good
in some regions while not so good in
some other regions. You can always
select a suitable tour
What is
the time difference ?
Vietnam is
twelve hours ahead of New York and seven
hours ahead of London, one hour behind
Perth and three hours behind Sydney.
What do
I need to know regarding Vietnam
visa ?
The most
important thing is to make sure your
Vietnam visa is stamped with the correct
dates. The standard tourist visa is
valid for a period of up to 30 days. If
you're going for less than 30 days you
can either specify the exact dates, but
it is probably best to ask for the
maximum period to give yourself more
flexibility. Processing normally takes
between a week and ten days , but longer
for overseas Vietnamese.
How I
can extend my Vietnam visa ?
If you need
to extend your stay for any reason, it
is relatively easy to apply for a visa
renewal at present. Again this is
handled by tour agents. The first
renewal costs around $25-30 (including a
handling fee) and takes three working
days to process (please note that
government offices are only open Monday
to Friday). The maximum period you can
ask for is 30 days and it costs the same
whether you ask for 1 day or 30 days. A
second 10-day extension is possible at a
cost of around $35-40. For this second
extension you will be asked to show an
air ticket dated after the expiry of
your visa.
How I
can get Vietnam visa on arrival ?
For those
who travel with
Green Trail
Tours , we can arrange the visa
approval letter allowing them to obtain
visa on arrival at Noibai Airport in
Hanoi, Danang Airport in Danang,
Tan San Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh. To
apply for visa , you are required
to provide us such information as full
name, gender, date of birth, home
address, passport number, expiry date of
passport, nationality, date in & out of
Vietnam, arrival flight number, place of
getting visa. After 3 or 4 working
days, we will send you the visa approval
letter. At this time, we charge
US$ 50 for visa on arrival at the
airport. This fee is subject to change
without prior notice.
How
safe is Vietnam?
Vietnam is
a relatively safe country to visit but
there are increasing instances of theft,
especially in HCMC where pickpockets and
snatch thieves on motorbikes are the
worst menace. The best tip is to be
vigilant at all times. Often cute kids
or old grannies have deft fingers. Leave
all valuables (expensive watches,
jewellery, glasses, etc.) at home, and
don't even wear flash costume jewellery.
Make sure you have a firm grip on
cameras and shoulder bags at all times
and never leave anything you value lying
around unattended. I would also not
advise taking cyclos late at night,
especially in HCMC. our guides will
advise you what is ''do and don't'' case
by case.
What
medical precautions I need to
take ?
At the time
of writing, no vaccinations are required
for Vietnam (with the exception of
yellow fever if you are travelling
directly from an area where the disease
is endemic). However, typhoid and
hepatitis A vaccinations are normally
recommended, and it's worth checking
that you are up to date with boosters
for tetanus, polio etc. Other injections
to consider, depending on the season and
risk of exposure, are hepatitis B,
Japanese encephalitis, meningitis and
rabies. It is best to discuss these with
your doctor. Malaria is present in
Vietnam. However, at the time of writing
both Hanoi and HCMC have very low
incidences, while the northern delta and
coastal regions of the south and centre
are also considered relatively safe. The
main danger areas are the highlands and
the rural areas, where Plasmodium
falciparum, the most dangerous strain of
malaria, is prevalent. Your doctor will
advise on which, if any, anti-malaria
tablets you should take.
If you do
fall ill, pharmacies in Hanoi and HCMC
stock a decent range of imported
medicines (check they are not past their
''use-by'' date). Both these cities also
now have good, international-class
medical facilities. Elsewhere, local
hospitals will be able to treat minor
ailments, but for anything more serious
head back to Hanoi or HCMC.
What
about medical insurance?
It is
advised that travelers should have some
form of medical insurance before
arriving in Vietnam. Although there are
several international medical clinics in
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, generally
the country still lacks adequate medical
care for serious illnesses and injuries,
especially in other areas. Therefore, we
advise that travelers have sufficient
cover for emergency medical care as a
precautionary measure.
Should
I take my money in cash or
travellers'cheques?
The
official currency of Vietnam is the
dong, which can not be purchased outside
Vietnam. The main banks in Hanoi and
HCMC can handle a fairly broad range of
currencies nowadays, but the dollar is
still the most widely accepted. I
therefore recommend taking a combination
of US$ cash and US$ travellers' cheques,
with the bulk in travellers' cheques for
safety. American Express, Visa and
Thomas Cook cheques are the most
recognised brands.
What
recommendations do you have about
eating in Vietnam?
We strongly
recommend you try the small local
restaurants, especially the street
kitchens which consist of a few tables
and a stove in an open-fronted dining
area. Most of expensive restaurants
usually price their menus in local
currency. In the middle of the range it
could be in either dollars or dong, but
at this level prices are often not
indicated at all, which makes for
tedious ordering as you go through each
dish.
When it
comes to eating, the most important
thing is to choose places that are busy
and look well-scrubbed, and to stick to
fresh, thoroughly cooked foods. Despite
appearances, often the small local
restaurants with a high turnover of just
one or two dishes are safer than
expensive, Western-style places.
Restaurants where the food is cooked in
front of you - for example, steaming
bowls of pho soup at a street stall -
are usually a good bet, as well as being
lots of fun. However, steer clear of
shellfish, peeled fruit, salads and raw
vegetables. On the other hand, yoghurt
and ice cream from reputable outlets in
the main cities shouldn't cause
problems.
Should
I take my money in cash or
travellers'cheques?
The
official currency of Vietnam is the
dong, which can not be purchased outside
Vietnam. The main banks in Hanoi and
HCMC can handle a fairly broad range of
currencies nowadays, but the dollar is
still the most widely accepted. I
therefore recommend taking a combination
of US$ cash and US$ travellers' cheques,
with the bulk in travellers' cheques for
safety. American Express, Visa and
Thomas Cook cheques are the most
recognised brands.
What
recommendations do you have about
eating in Vietnam?
We strongly
recommend you try the small local
restaurants, especially the street
kitchens which consist of a few tables
and a stove in an open-fronted dining
area. Most of expensive restaurants
usually price their menus in local
currency. In the middle of the range it
could be in either dollars or dong, but
at this level prices are often not
indicated at all, which makes for
tedious ordering as you go through each
dish.
When it
comes to eating, the most important
thing is to choose places that are busy
and look well-scrubbed, and to stick to
fresh, thoroughly cooked foods. Despite
appearances, often the small local
restaurants with a high turnover of just
one or two dishes are safer than
expensive, Western-style places.
Restaurants where the food is cooked in
front of you - for example, steaming
bowls of pho soup at a street stall -
are usually a good bet, as well as being
lots of fun. However, steer clear of
shellfish, peeled fruit, salads and raw
vegetables. On the other hand, yoghurt
and ice cream from reputable outlets in
the main cities shouldn't cause
problems.
Where
can I change money?
You can
change cash and travellers' cheques at
exchange desks in big hotels and at
authorised foreign exchange banks in the
main cities. Among the banks,
Vietcombank usually offers the best
exchange rates and charges the lowest
commission (around 1-3%). Note that
commission rates are slightly lower if
changing travellers' cheques into dong
rather than dollars. Vietcombank does
not levy commission when changing
dollars cash into dong, though some
other banks do. It's worth bearing in
mind that you get a slightly better
exchange rate for $100 and $50 notes
than for smaller denominations. When
cashing travellers' cheques you may be
asked for your passport, though this
practice seems to be dying out. Outside
the main cities and tourist areas,
authorised foreign exchange banks are
few and far between. So if you're
heading off the beaten path, stock up
with enough cash (dollars and dong) to
last the trip. Wherever you are, you'll
always find someone willing to change
dollars cash into dong, though rates
will vary. When receiving dong, you'll
be presented with a huge pile of notes.
The largest bill is 100,000d (, so bear
this in mind when changing $100! Refuse
any badly torn notes and ask for a mix
of denominations so that you always have
a few low-value notes in hand.
Is it
better to use dollars or dong for
daily expenses?
Despite
government attempts to outlaw the
practice, the US Dollars still acts as
an alternative currency which is almost
completely interchangeable with the
dong. Many prices, especially for
hotels, tours and expensive restaurants,
are still quoted in $, though you can
pay in dong if you'd rather - just check
what exchange rate they're using.
For everyday expenses, I recommend
carrying a mix of US Dollars cash and
dong. For larger items or when the
exchange rate works in your favour, use
dollars. For cyclos, local food stalls
and small purchases, it's best to use
dong. In either case, make sure you
always have a stock of small notes so
that you don't have to worry about
change.