Is this trip right for you?
In 2025, Tet (Lunar New Year) will run from the 27th January to the 3rd of February. This is a fascinating and rewarding time to explore and relish the festive ambiance in Vietnam.
In order to see as much as possible, this trip involves some long journeys, including overnight on cruise in Ha Long Bay. There are some travel days in this itinerary by both private and public transport.
Depending on where you come from, the weather in Vietnam might be hot and sticky, and nights can get quite cool! Be sure to wear layers, use adequate sun protection and drink plenty of water.
This trip is for travellers who appreciate a bit of independence. You’ll get plenty of free time in each location to make your own choices, do your own activities and eat where you like. Your leader is always there to give you tips and suggestions.
Meeting and Pick up
Our tour guide and driver will pick you up at Noi Bai International Airport, Soc Son District, Hanoi
Meeting and pickup instructions
Noi Bai International Airport is the second largest international airport in Vietnam. The airport is located approximately 30 kilometers from central Hanoi and requires about 40 to 50 minutes to travel by car. Traveling from Noi Bai Airport to central Hanoi offers multiple transportation options and vice versa. BestBooking Vietnam Travel will offer airport transfer services in accordance with the schedule.
Upon your arrival, a tour guide carrying a BestBooking Vietnam Travel sign will greet you as you exit the terminal hall. In case of flight cancellations, change, if you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection, customs, or if you are unable to find our tour guide. Please contact our hotline at (+84) 82 277 3137. Please note that: Neither the drivers nor any tour guides and travel consultants should ask you for additional payment.
Problems and emergency contact information
Although we consistently endeavor to deliver the best vacation experience, the inherent nature of the journey and the sightseeing destinations may result in unforeseen circumstances. Should any issues occur during your trip, it is imperative that you discuss with our tour guides and your travel consultant so that they can do their best to address the issues immediately and avoid any adverse effects on the remainder of your journey.
You may also choose to provide details in your feedback, which we ask to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still traveling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.
Please contact us through the hotline at: (+84) 82 277 3137
For additional contact information, please refer to the following page: https://bestbooking.com.vn/contact-us/
Itinerary disclaimer
Itinerary changes
Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Our travel consultant will inform you of any changes to your itinerary. It’s important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates.
Recommended activities
A selection of suggested activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the suggested activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let our travel consultant know you are interested in several days prior to departure or let our tour guide know on the first day of the itinerary and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our tour guides and travel consultants are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not suggested in our itinerary is at your own discretion and risk.
Essential trip information
Important notes
- A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to our travel consultant at least 14 days prior to travel.
- A fee applies for single occupancy if you prefer not to share a room on this trip. Single rooms will not be available for the day 4 of the itinerary (cruise in Ha Long Bay) where accommodations will be shared, depending on room availability. Please contact with our travel consultants for more detailed information.
- This trip includes domestic flights. The baggage allowance is 20 kg for checked baggage and 7 kg for carry-on baggage.
- Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for domestic flights. Ticketing Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
What’s the time zone in Vietnam?
The time zone in Vietnam is GMT+7, and there’s no daylight saving time in the country, so the clocks stay the same all year round.
Cultural tips when traveling to Vietnam
There are many customs in Vietnam that will be different from your home country, but, thankfully, our expert guides will be there to help you navigate and understand them. For example, they might teach you how to greet local people in the traditional way, take part in festivities respectfully, or even how to avoid things that are considered back luck, like leaving your chopsticks sticking straight up in a bowl of rice.
When visiting Vietnam’s temples, you should dress conservatively, covering your knees and shoulders out of respect. In some temples, you will also need to remove your shoes before entering, but never point the soles of your feet toward Buddha images or other people. What’s more, you should never sit with your back to an altar, point at anything or anyone, or touch statues. It’s also respectful to refrain from talking while inside, but occasional whispering is fine.
Passports, visas, and entry requirements
Passports
You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends.
Visas and entry requirements
Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government’s foreign travel advisories, and consular websites.
Address for Vietnam Visa Applications
If you require an address for your visa application, please use:
- BestBooking Vietnam Travel
- 101 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Gia Hoi Ward, Hue City
- Phone: (+84) 82 277 3137
Medical and health information
General health
All travellers need to be in good physical health in order to participate fully on this trip. For the safety and wellbeing of yourself and others, if you are unwell prior to travelling, please stay at home and contact us to make alternative arrangements.
When selecting your trip please make sure you have read through the itinerary carefully and assess your ability to manage and enjoy our style of travel. Please note that if in the assessment of our tour guide a traveller is unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group, we reserve the right to exclude them from all or part of a trip without refund.
You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information or for any necessary vaccinations before departure. We recommend that you carry a first aid kit as well as any personal medical requirements in their original packaging as they may not easily be obtained while travelling. If you are carrying medication, ensure you check your government’s foreign travel advice for any local restrictions or requirements.
Mosquito – borne illnesses
Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis are widespread in South East Asia. Malaria is also prevalent in some regions, particularly along the borders in mountainous regions. Take preventative measures such as wearing long clothing, using repellent and being indoors particularly around dusk and dawn. Seek medical advice prior to travel for medication or vaccination.
It is important to seek prompt medical attention if you have a fever or display any other symptoms. If you become unwell on your return, make sure you tell your doctor about any trips abroad you have taken in the past year.
Food and dietary requirements
While travelling with us you’ll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in Vietnam. Your travel consultant can suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally 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. If you have dietary requirements and/or food allergies, please let your booking agent know prior to departure.
- Included breakfasts: At hotels you’ll often have a buffet with choices of Vietnamese and Western food.
Accommodation
5-star hotel (9 nights), overnight on 6-star Grand Pioneers Cruise (1 night)
The hotels mentioned in the program may change in some cases. It may be necessary to arrange an alternative due to no availability at our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use similar accommodation standards.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Transport
Cruise, plane and private car
Vietnam flights
Please provide your exact name (including middle name) as per passport 45 days prior to your trip’s departure date for flight tickets to be issued. Internal flights will be on the following safety audited airlines: Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet,etc.
Unaccompanied flights
During peak travel times your group may be required to travel on different flights at different times of the day, and you may be unaccompanied on the internal flight. In this case, you will be assisted by additional tour escorts on departure and arrival.
Money matters
The currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese dong (đ), and the notes come in denominations of 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000 50,000, 100,000, 200,000, 500,000 dong.
You can use your credit/debit card in ATMs, which are common throughout Vietnam. These machines dispense cash in VND (Vietnamese dong). Credit/debit cards aren’t accepted for small payments in Vietnam so please ensure you have VND cash to cover daily expenses. Clean banknotes in small denominations are most useful. There is no need to bring lots of cash with you unless you prefer not to use ATMs. You can obtain VND cash prior to arriving in Vietnam, through normal outlets such as banks and currency exchange offices.
Spending money
When it comes to spending money on the trip, every traveller is a little different. You know your spending habits better than we do, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals, drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry. Make sure you have read the itinerary and inclusions thoroughly so you know what is included in the trip price and what you may need to pay for while travelling.
Contingency funds
We try to plan for every eventuality, but there are still some things beyond our control. We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure due to local circumstances or a Force Majeure Event. In such emergency circumstances, the additional cost of any necessary itinerary alterations will be covered by you. Please note we are not responsible for any incidental expenses that may be incurred as a result of the change of itineraries including but not limited to visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights. Make sure that you can spend extra for emergencies (e.g. severe weather, natural disasters, civil unrest) or other events that result in unavoidable changes to the itinerary (e.g. transport strikes or cancellations, airport closures). Sometimes these things necessitate last-minute changes to enable our trips to continue to run, and as a result, there may be some extra costs involved. The recommended amount is listed in USD for the relatability of universal travellers, however, local currency may be needed once in the country to cover these costs.
Tipping
Tips are included on all BestBooking Vietnam Travel trips, covering hotel staff, local guides and the people who will take care of you during your travels.
Commissions
BestBooking Vietnam Travel understands that the receipt of commissions in exchange for recommending particular shops or services is ingrained in the culture of the tourism industry. Actively managing the receipt of commissions helps us maintain the level of quality you expect on one of our trips. Travel is always an adventure so BestBooking Vietnam Travel cannot explicitly guarantee the quality of a product but we aim to provide the best value trips in the market. Please let us know via the feedback form completed after your trip if we are successfully meeting – or exceeding – this objective.
Packing
What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. We recommend you pack as lightly as possible, ensuring that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Help will be on hand in most locations, but there may be times you need to handle your own luggage, for example in airports and train stations.
A lockable suitcase with wheels is ideal for this trip. It is recommended that you keep your main luggage weight around 15kg and certainly no more than 20kg. A small or medium-sized backpack (45-50 litres) is another good option.
You’ll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, jacket, etc. when you’re exploring during the day.
Local Dress
When packing, be aware that dress standards are conservative throughout Asia, especially outside major cities. To respect this and for your own comfort, we strongly recommend modest clothing. This means clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Loose, lightweight, long clothing is both respectful and cool in the predominantly hot Asian climate. In many rural areas in Asia women will need to wear modest clothing even to swim. Singlets, tank tops and topless sunbathing are all unacceptable. When visiting religious sites men often need to wear long trousers and women a long skirt or sarong.
Water Bottle
This trip includes one or more sections in a private vehicle with a water dispenser. We encourage all our travellers to bring a refillable water bottle on your trip to help reduce the use of disposable plastic bottles.
Climate and seasonal information
Tet: 27 January – 3 February 2025
Tet is Vietnam’s New Year festival which takes place in late January/early February based on the lunar calendar and is the most important celebration of the year. While this can be a fascinating time to be in Vietnam, you do need to be prepared for some businesses to be closed, tourist sites to be very busy and for transport to be packed as many Vietnamese are travelling around the country. Although we do our best to run trips during Tet as per the scheduled itinerary, it is likely that there will be some changes to transport, accommodation or order of destinations visited. Due to the high demand on tickets at this time, flights and overnight trains may on occasion need to be replaced with day buses. We will aim to communicate any known changes prior to your departure.
Weather in vietnam
The most popular times to visit Vietnam are spring (February-April) and autumn (September-December) but because of the huge variations in latitude and altitude, there is no one best time to go to Vietnam. Temperatures vary from 4°C (39°F) in Sapa in winter to humid 36°C (97°F) days in Saigon in the middle of the dry season. The monsoons bring heavy rain to the south, and a cooler winter to the north. It’s a good destination all year.
Wet season
Flooding is common across Vietnam during rainy season (June-December) and could also lead to landslides. Typhoons are also common during this period. During these months there may be disruptions to transport and some activities or destinations may need to be changed as a result at short notice.
Tour Guide
All trips have at least one of our tour guides accompanying them. Tour guides are experienced individuals with in-depth knowledge and extensive networks, helping you solve problems and making your trip the most memorable one of your life.
The tour guide will provide useful information about the places you visit, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. Furthermore, they will recommend excellent dining spots in our local area and propose activities and attractions that you should visit.
Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government’s advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip.
We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home – you won’t need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage.
Your tour guide will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you’ll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your tour guide will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your BestBooking Vietnam Travel itinerary, and BestBooking Vietnam Travel makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your tour guide has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it’s deemed necessary due to safety concerns.
Fire Precautions
All the accommodations in the itinerary have emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and fire alarms.
Seat belts
All the means of transportation we use have seat belts except for traveling by rowing boat in the Mekong Delta.
Pretty theft and personal safety
While traveling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing.
Motorbike bag snatching
Be particularly aware of motorbike bag snatching, especially in the bigger cities.
Community guidelines
BestBooking Vietnam Travel won’t tolerate any kind of violence, harassment (whether physical, verbal or sexual), or disrespect toward fellow travellers, our teams or local communities. To ensure the wellbeing of everyone on the trip, decisions made by your tour guide are final. Any behaviour that prevents your tour guide from continuing the itinerary as planned, breaks local laws or opposes any of these guidelines may result in BestBooking Vietnam Travel denying your booking or removing you from the trip.
If something concerns you during your travels, please speak to your tour guide immediately. Alternatively, you can contact us on the emergency contact number detailed in the Problems and Emergency Contact Information section of this Essential Trip Information.
Traveling on a group trip
As you travel on a group trip you will be exposed to all the pleasures and maybe some of the frustrations of travelling in a group. Your fellow travellers will probably come from all corners of the world and likely a range of age groups too. We ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group – patience with your fellow travellers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone’s travel experience. Remember too that you have responsibilities to the group. If you are requested to be at a place at a certain time, ensure that you don’t keep the rest of the group waiting. We have found time and time again that the very best trips we operate are those where the dynamics within the group work well – this takes just a little effort on your part. Due to privacy reasons, we are unable to provide you with contact details and any personal information about your fellow travellers booked on your trip prior to departure.
Solo travellers
On our trips, rooming is organised on a twin-share basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender, as per the gender marker on each of their passports.
We also offer an optional single supplement on most trips for travellers who prefer to have their own room. This only applies to accommodation during the tour. Pre-trip and post-trip accommodation booked through us will always be on a single-room basis.
LGBTQIA+ travellers
We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. If your gender identity differs from what is indicated on your passport, please contact us so that we can discuss rooming options with you.
Travel insurance
Our trips do not include travel insurance. We encourage you to purchase insurance for yourself to ensure full coverage, providing financial protection against unforeseen circumstances. Insurance must include medical expenses, as well as repatriation, in the event of accident or illness. In addition, we strongly recommend that you have cover for personal belongings, delay at your outward or homeward point of departure, personal liability, overseas legal expenses and cancellation. If you are undertaking any sports or adventurous activities on your trip, including trekking, winter sports, diving or horse riding, you should also make sure that your policy covers these. Please also ensure you read the policy conditions and exclusions.
It is advisable to take out your travel insurance at the time of booking your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. This will therefore provide cover should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious accident.
Once you have a travel insurance policy in place, please let your specialist know who your insurance company is and your policy number. Having this information enables us to support you should an emergency situation arise.
