[Infographic] Top 4 questions you should ask when booking a holiday

Above are some of the questions that you should ask your travel agent before going to Vietnam, or any other countries that you are not familiar with. Of course, there are more questions that can help you to have an amazing time in Vietnam, and we have listed them out for you, too!

1, What are the advantages of a private tour?

A: You will have a much greater sense of control and freedom from the time of planning. You will feel more comfortable and secure during your tours with us because you are in control of your itinerary. This is particularly important when you are traveling with children, seniors, or people needing special care. Let’s check out the benefits of going on our private tours as below:

• Itinerary Flexibility: The tour will be customized or tailor-made according to your needs. During the tour, you can easily skip the activities that you do not like, explore options for additional activities, and tweak our itinerary as needed.
• Private transportation and tour guide: During the sightseeing tours you will be accompanied by your own driver, car and tour guide. This means your question will be answered promptly, personally and your interests are at the top priority. You can take your time to enjoy the sites and go wherever you want at your leisure, without being dependent on other groups of people.
• Your hand-picked accommodations: You can also handpick hotels of different levels for your own holiday and Asia Pioneer can customize your itinerary for you from there.
• Your own meal choices: You can choose to go for our meal plan with more variety of local food, or not include a meal plan and be totally open to a culinary adventure.

2, How much does this tour cost?

A: The actual price is calculated depends on the hotel level you stay, the mode of transportation, meals provided, experienced tour guides or not and after all the level of services. So although a private custom-made tour of Vietnam may cost more than a join-in large group tour in your home country, you will be getting a highly personalized tour that has been designed around your specific interests.

3, When and where does the tour end?

A: One of the best things about booking a private tour is the personalized Itinerary with maximum flexibility. That means you are the person who set up your travel dates & where to end the tour.

Firstly, Asia Pioneer will provide you a detailed itinerary with an ideal route. You can take your time to search for the best international flight deals and come back to us with your preferred travel dates. If re-routing the trip is necessary, please let us know, we are happy to follow up and make changes to the itinerary.

4, Does the tour price include international airfares?

A: Our tour price does not cover the airfare of your international flights. We will leave this to you as the cheapest deal is always at your end.

Our US clients often fly with United Airlines/ Korean Air/ Cathay Pacific/ China Airlines/ China Southern. To get the best deal, please check it out at www.kayak.com or www.cheapair.com by using the multi-cities search. Or you can make an online reservation on the official website of airlines.

5, Is there a hotel list available?

A: From the time of booking, you can easily request your accommodation based on your budget. You can also handpick hotels of different levels for your own holiday and Asia Pioneer can customize your itinerary for you from there.

If you are uncertain about what hotels to stay, your private travel consultant is ready to support you. A list of suggested hotels with their official websites can be provided from the beginning stage. Should one of them is not available, an alternative hotel option can be found to advise.

6, How can I deal with hiccups on tour?

A: There can… and probably will be …”hiccups” that arise when traveling. Most of them, thankfully, are minor but some can be major. You should first update your hiccup condition to your travel consultant and tour guide as soon as possible. Travel agent will consider your case then, take you to the hospital to get the examination and doctor’s advice based on your health condition. Early prevention is always the best way for everyone.

7, May I ask for a change after putting down the first deposit?

A: Yes, that is absolutely possible. Our package is based on a private tour so that we are flexible to amend/change anything to match your interests and budget. We do recommend our clients to make changes sooner as possible before their arrival to get the best services accordingly.

8, What are the payment methods? Can I pay for the tour by credit card? Is that safe?

A: For your security, Asia Pioneer travel accepts payment methods as below:

I.Bank Transfer/ Telegraphic Transfer
For large payments we recommend Bank Transfers as the most secure transactions with the lowest fees.
Please note: Asia Pioneer does not cover any transaction fees applied by your bank. The sender must cover all International bank transmission charges. It may include the correspondent bank’s fees as well.

II. Visa or Master Card secure online CREDIT/ DEBIT CARD payment via OnePay
OnePay is a leading online payment company in Vietnam. Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard even AMEX card are accepted. You will be charged a 3%processing fee for Visa/ MasterCard, on the total amount paid, when using this service.

III. Western Union
Western Union (www.westernunion.com) is the fastest way to transfer your payments. You can transfer money at both a Western Union Agent close to your home or pay by credit card online (Western Union accept Visa, Master cards and other kinds of credit cards issued by banks in your home country). Please be advised that Asia Pioneer does NOT  cover any transaction fees required by Western Union, these must be paid by you.

Based on the above-mentioned information, you can completely pay by credit card for your trip. It is very safe since we will just need your general information (Name on card, Card type, Billing address, Nationality and your telephone number) to create an online link to send you then, you will open the private link to make the payment accordingly.

9, What is the maximum weight for check-in luggage with domestic flights?

A: Please consider Vietnam Airlines’s policy for baggage as follows:

HAND BAGGAGE

Hand baggage includes hand baggage item(s) and one accessory. For safety reasons, the weight and dimensions must follow:

• The maximum weight for each piece of hand baggage is 10kg/22lbs.
• The total weight of hand baggage item(s), plus one accessory must not exceed:
  1. For Economy class: 12kg/26lbs (including one hand baggage item and one accessory)
  2. For Premium Economy/Business class: 18kg/40lbs (including two hand baggage items and one accessory)
• The total dimension of one hand baggage item must not exceed 115cm/45in (56cm x 36cm x 23cm or 22in x 14in x 9in).
• The total dimension of one accessory must not exceed 40cm x 30cm x 15cm or 16in x 12in x 6in.

In addition to hand baggage item(s) and an accessory, passengers may take some personal items on board without a fee.

Important Notice:

If your hand baggage exceeds the quantity, weight and dimensions specified above, the luggage must be checked.

CHECKED BAGGAGE

The maximum weight of each piece must follow:

• 23kg/50lb for Economy/ Premium Economy class
• 32kg/70lb for Business class

The total dimension (width + height + depth) of each piece must not exceed 158cm/62in.

Important Notice:

If the weight of a piece of checked baggage exceeds the above standard, passengers will be required to re-pack their baggage and pay an excess baggage fee or consider sending their baggage as cargo. Please contact airlines prior to your travel.

10, Is there anyone to meet me up at the airport on the first day?

A: Yes, there is. Your private guide and driver will meet you OUTSIDE the arrivals lounge. Please look for your tour guide who will be holding up your names on a welcome signboard. If you can’t find the tour guide, please feel free to contact us via hotline … or call directly to your private travel consultant.

Below you can also find more information about travelling in Vietnam: