FAQs

What happens if something goes wrong? Do you have an out of office phone number?

We try our very best to ensure the smooth running of your trip but some things are taken out of our hands. Before your holiday we will email you out of hours emergency contact numbers so that in the unlikely event of a problem occurring you can always contact one of our staff. We also provide you with the cell phone number of your consultant so that if there is a problem you can call them and they will be able to help.

 All our guides are first aid trained and if there is a medical problem we will help to get you the assistance you need (providing you have adequate medical insurance). We ensure that we have your emergency contact information for someone at home so they can be contacted if necessary.

 There is also a western customer service manager should require their services.

 For any more questions please email enquiry@lvtravel.vn  and someone will get back to you shortly

 

What if I have special needs for the tour?

If you have special requirements – for example, if you have a large group or young children, if you are handicapped or have physical limitations, if you have special transportation needs, or if you are vegetarian or have other food allergies – please let us know, and we can work with both you to ensure that we can meet your needs

Can I find cheaper prices if I wait and book directly when in country?

In Vietnam, there are a range of budget tour operators that compete with bargain bottom-dollar prices, so you can always find a better price for any of these tours. You pay for what you get.

At LV travel, however, we believe that it is important that you have a good experience as at the end of the day who wants to cut corners and risk ruining a once in a lifetime opportunity? We ensure that your holiday is carried out with minimum impact to the environment, (for more information about our responsible travel guidelines please click here) we pay our guides well so that they enjoy their job, they all speak very good English and we ensure all our vehicles are of a good standard. We book restaurants that are of a high quality and take time to do routine hotel inspections.

 Please also bear in mind that Vietnam is a popular place for tourists and many hotels, flights etc get booked up months in advance, so to avoid disappointment and the chance of spending your holiday tying to book your holiday, we recommend booking as much in advance as possible, then you can sit back and relax.

 

What if need to cancel or change my itinerary?

For all bookings you will need to sign our terms and conditions on our reservation form. This clearly states our cancellation policy. We insist that all our clients have adequate travel insurance that covers them for cancellation and curtailment. Click here to download our terms and conditions.

 If you wish to change your itinerary after full payment has been made we will try our best to accommodate any changes but it depends on each individual supplier. We therefore take it case by case

How will I receive my travel documents?

As soon as your booking is confirmed and full payment has been made we will email you a service voucher along with any hotel vouchers. Most airlines now issue electronic tickets which are convenient and for those who do not we can issue for free of charge in HCMC and Hanoi and for those coming in from abroad we will arrange for them to be delivered to your hotel on arrival or give them to your tour guide

Will you ever ask for more money than originally quoted?

All our quotations are in USD so we will take X amount from your credit card/bank account on the day payment is due. Due to fluctuating exchange rates the amount taken from your bank account will change on a daily basis if you bank account is not in USD.

 For tours and hotels, once the services have been confirmed we will not ask for any more money unless there is an increase beyond our control. For more information please see our terms and conditions.

 For flights, we will inform you of the fare at the time that you inquire about the booking, but the fare is not guaranteed until the time that you issue the ticket. We therefore suggest that you pay in advance so that we can issue the ticket and guarantee the cost of the flight

 

How do I book flight ticket

To search for tickets, please select the destination city, arrival city, the dates and whether it is one-way or a return ticket. Then, please select from the available price and schedule options and proceed to bookings.

Currently, we cannot check availability of these flights online. To inquire about a flight, please either book the flight with payment information and we will wait to charge you until after the flight has been confirmed, or inquire online with customer service at Inquire Now, by email enquiry@lvtravel.vn  

Payment is due on confirmation of the flight either by credit card, bank transfer, secure online payment or cash (for those living in Vietnam). Please note that The airline reserve the rights to change the fares at any time, and taxes and airport fees can also be changed at any time

How we book hotels

As we do not have instant confirmation of hotels please fill in the enquiry form and we will request the hotel for you. Once it’s confirmed we will email you back and ask for full payment

Day Trip and short excursion

For some day trips you can book and pay online by following our easy online payment form. For others, please fill in the enquiry form and we will book the tour for you. Once it’s confirmed we will email you back and ask for full payment.

 

Customize tours

We have put together a few sample itineraries to get your taste buds going but as they are just suggestions its best to email us directly with your requirements so we can help you to get the perfect tailor made tour. Once you have agreed on an itinerary we will ask for a 20% deposit and start making reservations for you. Once all reservations have been made we will confirm back to you. The final balance is due 8 weeks before your holiday.

 

How do I book and pay?

All our quotes are in USD so we will take X amount from your credit card/bank account on the day the 20% deposit and full payment is due. Due to the fluctuating exchange rates the amount of your trip will fluctuate daily unitl a deposit payment is received. We accept Visa/Mastercard by either directly giving us your card details or using our secure payment online, bank transfers or cash. For day trip, flights, hotels we charge a 2% to 3.5% credit card fee but for customized tours this is not necessary.

 

Will I be traveling on a private tour or in a group?

The majority of our tours are on a private basis so it’s just you, your family, friends or group, and your local guide. No long queues or waiting around for people to take photos, you can ask the questions you want to know and really get to know the country. By traveling on a private basis you are less obtrusive when visiting local villages etc and you can really decide on what you want to see and cut out anything that is not of any interest. After all it’s your holiday and valuable time so make sure you get the most out of it!

 We offer a selection of group day tours in Hanoi, Hue and HCMC with a maximum of 8 people and also for those who are keen on volunteering you can sign up and join our Indochina set departure volunteerism tour. It's fab!

 

How can I trust the quality of the tours that I buy from LV Travel ?

LV Travel has been established since 2000 and we provide all the services for each holiday by hand picking the best guides, hotels, vehicles available. Our sales staff are there to ensure that you book the right holiday that is tailored to your needs and they love nothing more than to recommend places based on past experience. All our guides are first aid trained and have plenty of experience and a wealth of information about the country. They are passionate about their job and that’s why 98% of our clients are highly satisfied with their holiday and keep coming back for more!

Is it better to use dollars or dong for daily expenses?

Test Despite of the fact that Vietnamese government attempts to outlaw the practice, the US Dollars still acts as an alternative currency which is almost completely interchangeable with Vietnam Dong. Many prices, especially for hotels, tours and expensive restaurants, are still quoted in USD, though you can pay in dong if you’d rather - just check what exchange rate they’re using.

For everyday expenses, we recommend you carry a mix of US Dollars cash and Vietnam 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 Vietnam Dong. In either case, make sure you always have a stock of small notes so that there is no need to worry about change.

Where can I change money?

You can change cash and travelers’ cheques at big hotels or at authorized foreign exchange banks in main cities. Outside the main cities and tourist area, authorized foreign exchange banks are few and far between.  So if heading off the beaten path, remember to stock up with enough cash (USD or VND) to the last trip.

Wherever you travel to, you’ll always find someone willing to change dollars cash into VND, though rates will vary. When receiving dong, you’ll be presented with a huge pile of notes. Refuse any badly torn notes and ask for a mix of denominations so that you always have a few low-value notes in hand.

What kind of currencies should you recommend?

Vietnam Dong is the official currency in Vietnam, which you can’t purchase or difficult to purchase outside of the country. Major Banks in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh city can handle quite a lot of different currencies, however, USD is the most widely accepted. So we recommend taking a combination of USD cash, USD traveler’s cheques with the bulk in traveler’s cheques for safety reasons. American Express, Visa are the most popular brands.

Any recommendations for eating in Vietnam?

As our advice, you should try food in small local restaurants, that’s the best way for you to feel the local breath in terms of food culture. Most of expensive restaurants in Vietnam quote their menu in local currency while in the middle of the range, the rates may be both in USD and VND. While choosing a place for eating, we strongly recommend you choose places which are busy and look well-scrubbed, a stick to fresh, thoroughly cooked food. Restaurants where you can see food cooked, eg: steaming bowls of noodle soup along a street tall, are often a good bet and being a lot of fun.

How safe is Vietnam?

Vietnam is considered as among the safest countries to visit, however, there are increasing instances of theft in Ho Chi Minh city where snatch thieves and pickpockets on motorcycles are the worst. So the tip here is you should be vigilant all the time. You shouldn’t bring with you valuables such as expensive watches, jewelries, etc)

What is the time difference?

Vietnam is 12 hours ahead of New York, 7 hours ahead of London, 1 hour behind Perth and 3 hours behind Sydney.

When is the best time to have a trip to Vietnam?

The climate and temperature in Vietnam are quite changeable and different regions by regions. At a certain time of a year, the climate may be good in some region while not so good in the others. You can tell us what your interests are so we can better advise you for suitable tours.

How about transportation?

We guarantee to provide you with the safest and the most comfortable means of transportation.

Who is my guide?

We offers a strong, professional and multilingual guide team nationwide. Those guides are carefully selected for their experience, rich knowledge, excellent language and communication skills, commitment, professionalism, and personalities. They are not just pure guides but also your dedicated friends, trusted companions during and after the trip. Travelling with News Travel definitely offers you awesome opportunities to have wonderful new friends.

Are there any hidden costs, which are not mentioned? Any tipping required?

Under the booking page, all information related to your tour package is provided, all inclusions and exclusions are mentioned at our booking confirmation sent to you. Tipping is not compulsory. If you are satisfied with service of our guides, drivers.., a small gesture is an appropriate way to show your appreciation to them.

How do I pay for the trip?

In order to book any tour, choose your preferred tour and click on “Book This Tour”. As our policy, if the booking value (in total of all guests in your party) is less than 500USD, you need to sign the booking voucher sent by us as your confirmation for the reservation, the balance of total package will be paid upon your arrival ahead of your departure date. In case, the booking value exceeds 500USD, a deposit ranging from 20-40% is required depending on the time the booking is confirmed ahead of your departure. For any cases, the balance of the tour package must be fully paid ahead of your departure.

How can I book a tour?

In order to book any tour, you just need to select your preferred tour(s), all tour-related information is available and sufficient by different tabs, and then click “Book this tour” on our website. News Travel booking form template will automatically call trip tour name, you will be asked to fill in the existing fields. Once the form has been filled up, please click “Submit” to send you tour inquiry to News Travel  for your inputs to be processed. You may also “Reset” to cancel information you have just filled up. After your booking request has been received, all necessary arrangements will be made in accordance with your inquiry. Normally, we will respond you within 1-2 business days. Confirmation message will be sent to you by email with all required details including payment terms& conditions.

Can I have a tailor-made tour?

We are offering about one hundred tours samples, however, in case none of them match your inquiry, please click on the tab tailor-made tour, fill up all requested information so We can catch up what your plan is. Our expert will process and create a trip matching your request with useful information.

Where will I be dropped off following my tour?

The driver has to adhere to strict legal and time restrictions and this restricts the options that we can offer you. We can offer you a choice of three possible drop-off points within central London (unless stated otherwise during the tour), all within close proximity of underground stations.

What time will I return from my tour?

Depending on the tour, our full day coach excursions generally return to London between 6.30pm to 8.00pm, traffic permitting. Our unescorted train tours return between 8.00pm and 10.00pm.

Can you arrange a pick up from a hotel mentioned in your list of complimentary pick-ups even if we are not staying there?

Yes you can, however please call us to confirm the pick-up location and time.

Can you arrange a pick up from my hotel?

We offer a courtesy pickup service from over 60 central London hotels for our full day coach tours. Please do give us a call and we can tell you where the closest and most convenient pick-up point is.

I have booked on-line. How do I get my ticket/voucher?

You will automatically receive an e-voucher to your email address. Please print your voucher/ticket which contains your unique reference number. Please remember to bring this with you on the day. You will not be allowed entrance to an attraction without a valid ticket.

I have booked a tour with my relative's credit card; however the voucher says "Client must carry the transaction card on the day of travel". What are my options in this situation?

All you need is a letter written and signed by the card holder confirming that they authorised this payment.

How do I cancel my ticket?

For full and half day coach tours, a refund will only be made if you cancel over 24 hours before your tour. If you cancel later than this, you will not be refunded. All fast-track entrance tickets, open top bus tours, Overnight Tours and lunch and dinner products cannot be cancelled once booked.

Once I have booked, can I amend my booking?

Amendments can only be made to coach tours. Please call us 24 hours prior to your tour's departure time and date.

Can I book special offers over the phone?

Special offers are exclusive online offers and are unavailable over the phone. If you have any questions with regards to the tour/activity our call centre will happily be able to assist you with these.

Are there any special advantages in buying tickets in advance online?

By booking tours in advance on our company , you will be applicable to our company  Best Price Guarantee, which means if you find the same tour or activity sold for less, we will refund the difference. Terms and Conditions apply.

The benefit of buying attraction booking in advance on our company  means you are able to purchase tickets to different attractions at the same time. Many of our entrance tickets are fast-track tickets so you can beat the queues and save time on your holiday!

How do I pay?

To make payments through our website we accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Maestro Online.