tours from vietnam ports

Hi all CC's

I will be stopping in Vietnam at Phu my/ho chi min city, chan may/Da Nang and Halong Bay/hanoi.

Can anyone reccommend any DIY or private tours at these ports, and what there involved and cost. Also any contacts you can recommend.

much appreciated

Thanks

Ho Chi Minh (everyone except the govt still calls it Saigon)

It's very easy to explore the main city centre sights on foot - see other threads on this forum.

But we ported in the city (tiddler of a ship), whereas Phy My, where bigger ships port, is some distance (? 90 mins?) from Saigon, apparently with no reliable public transport or reliable taxis on-spec. So you need to pre-book either a ship's Saigon-on-your-own transfer to the city centre or a private tour or transfer. Choose an operator with good independent reviews, and be wary of sound-alikes, there are plenty of clueless wannabe tour operators. Check out Zoom, gets rave reviews on Cruise Critic, but beware of those sound-alikes.

If your ship is in overnite, consider a Saigon hotel overnite - cheap, avoids back-tracking, enjoy the nightlife eg water-puppets & good but silly-cheap restaurants.

Da Nang.

Again our tiddler ported in town, yours is some miles north. But I think there are tours available on-the-fly at the port. If so, they'll be the cheapest option by some margin, esp if shared.

Hue is convenient.

Hoi-An, China Beach & Marble Mountain are south of Da Nang, but still possible if you don't have an early sailing time.

A shared van picked up at the pier about $125 to $175 total, probably more money but more assured if pre-booked

Halong Bay.

Its a tortuous 3 to 3.5 hours to Hanoi. If you choose to go there, I'd suggest you make it an overnight ship's tour despite the expense.

Or stick around Halong Bay & take decent (6hrs+) junk cruise. Private junk available cheaply on-the-day (or fix up on the first afternoon for next day) for a small group. 6 to 12 is ideal, though the day junks can - and cruise ship's junk cruises will - take 25/30. Via touts at the port or tender jetty. Much more expensive pre-booked but some folk like the certainty. It's possible to do Hanoi on the full day & a curtailed ship's junk cruise on the half-day. But those cruises are usually 2 hrs, hardly enough time to get across the bay & amongst the islets (karsts). IMHO a cruise of less than 4 hrs ain't worth doing.

About 4 years back we had a 6 hour junk for $90 total, another group had a 4-hour for $60 total. Those figures well out-of-date, but expect to pay considerably less than you might have guessed.

Check out your RollCall for folk on your cruise looking for sharers for private tours at those ports, and others on your cruise.

JB :)

We did a private tour for Saigon...there were 23 of us but split into smaller groups...my DH and I had a private walking guide. We all had to meet outside the port gates and I did notice there were several taxi-vans waiting to just take walkups into the city. The ship excursion on our Mariner ship was $45.00pp and wasn't offered to book online but only once onboard...Our deal worked out much better in the long run. Thanks to akSail7 (Heidi).

Ho Chi Minh (everyone except the govt still calls it Saigon)

It's very easy to explore the main city centre sights on foot - see other threads on this forum.

But we ported in the city (tiddler of a ship), whereas Phy My, where bigger ships port, is some distance (? 90 mins?) from Saigon, apparently with no reliable public transport or reliable taxis on-spec. So you need to pre-book either a ship's Saigon-on-your-own transfer to the city centre or a private tour or transfer. Choose an operator with good independent reviews, and be wary of sound-alikes, there are plenty of clueless wannabe tour operators. Check out Zoom, gets rave reviews on Cruise Critic, but beware of those sound-alikes.

If your ship is in overnite, consider a Saigon hotel overnite - cheap, avoids back-tracking, enjoy the nightlife eg water-puppets & good but silly-cheap restaurants.

 

Da Nang.

Again our tiddler ported in town, yours is some miles north. But I think there are tours available on-the-fly at the port. If so, they'll be the cheapest option by some margin, esp if shared.

Hue is convenient.

Hoi-An, China Beach & Marble Mountain are south of Da Nang, but still possible if you don't have an early sailing time.

A shared van picked up at the pier about $125 to $175 total, probably more money but more assured if pre-booked

 

Halong Bay.

Its a tortuous 3 to 3.5 hours to Hanoi. If you choose to go there, I'd suggest you make it an overnight ship's tour despite the expense.

Or stick around Halong Bay & take decent (6hrs+) junk cruise. Private junk available cheaply on-the-day (or fix up on the first afternoon for next day) for a small group. 6 to 12 is ideal, though the day junks can - and cruise ship's junk cruises will - take 25/30. Via touts at the port or tender jetty. Much more expensive pre-booked but some folk like the certainty. It's possible to do Hanoi on the full day & a curtailed ship's junk cruise on the half-day. But those cruises are usually 2 hrs, hardly enough time to get across the bay & amongst the islets (karsts). IMHO a cruise of less than 4 hrs ain't worth doing.

About 4 years back we had a 6 hour junk for $90 total, another group had a 4-hour for $60 total. Those figures well out-of-date, but expect to pay considerably less than you might have guessed.

 

Check out your RollCall for folk on your cruise looking for sharers for private tours at those ports, and others on your cruise.

 

JB :)

Thanks JB

do you know if walk up tours are available at all the ports?

We did a private tour for Saigon...there were 23 of us but split into smaller groups...my DH and I had a private walking guide. We all had to meet outside the port gates and I did notice there were several taxi-vans waiting to just take walkups into the city. The ship excursion on our Mariner ship was $45.00pp and wasn't offered to book online but only once onboard...Our deal worked out much better in the long run. Thanks to akSail7 (Heidi).

Thanks Ashland

can you remember who the walking tour was with, and how much

Just back from viet nam. We booked our tours for Saigon and the Mekong delta with tony of Ann tours. He only does private tours and was well worth the expense. Our guides were wonderful, spoke English well and were exceedingly helpful to my companion who is physically challenged, especially getting in and out of the junk and sampan. Lunch was included and was excellent

I would highly recommend this company

Thanks Ashland

 

can you remember who the walking tour was with, and how much

We used Mr Ken from

tourguidesaigon@yahoo.com

and it was $35.00 for the two of us during our port day.

Thanks JB

 

do you know if walk up tours are available at all the ports?

IMHO Halong City & environs aren't worth even a half-day tour, a tour to Hanoi isn't something to be left to chance, a junk tour you should be able to pick up if you get about a dozen folk together but a lot of folk won't have left it that late.

Da Nang we ported in town & picked up a tour at the port..I've heard that's also possible at your port, which is half-an-hour north of Da Nang, but don't rely on what I've heard.

Saigon. Again, I've heard that there are now taxis & vans available at Phu My port. Presumably for transfers, possibly also for tours, but there are plenty of clueless or dishonest wannabe tour operators in Vietnam & I'd only be comfortable with a well-recommended operator, like those on other posts.

JB :)

We used AnnTours and they were excellent. Followed the same ports you are. When in Halong Bay, do an overnighter to Hanoi if you can. It is well worth it.

We used Thi at Smile Tours for Saigon and Hanoi/Halong Bay. She was a wonderful and very caring tour guide. We were able to see so much of the beautiful country. I would recommend going to Hanoi on the first day if you have an overnight then spend the second day on Halong Bay.

From Da Nang, we had an excellent tour of Hoi An including a bicycle tour of nearby Cam Kim island with Xuan Tu, who can be found on http://www.privatehoianguide.com.

Dung Zoom provides tours of Ho Chi Minh City, Cuchi Tunnels, Cuchi – Tay Ninh, My Tho, and other areas. We had a full day tour of Ho Chi Minh City with Zoom on March 29, 2015. The cost was very reasonable, $132 per couple for 4 couples. Zoom was waiting for us when we got off the cruise ship, and the ride into the city was very comfortable in an A/C mini-van. Zoom provided interesting information, and paced our stops so that we were able to see all the places on our itinerary. He is very active on social media, posting pictures of our group on FB throughout the day. Everyone in our group was impressed with Zoom, and if we are ever back in Vietnam, we will definitely hire him again. You can find him on FB under Dung Zoom. There is also information at http://saigonprivatetour.com.

Dung Zoom provides tours of Ho Chi Minh City, Cuchi Tunnels, Cuchi – Tay Ninh, My Tho, and other areas. We had a full day tour of Ho Chi Minh City with Zoom on March 29, 2015. The cost was very reasonable, $132 per couple for 4 couples. Zoom was waiting for us when we got off the cruise ship, and the ride into the city was very comfortable in an A/C mini-van. Zoom provided interesting information, and paced our stops so that we were able to see all the places on our itinerary. He is very active on social media, posting pictures of our group on FB throughout the day. Everyone in our group was impressed with Zoom, and if we are ever back in Vietnam, we will definitely hire him again. You can find him on FB under Dung Zoom. There is also information at http://saigonprivatetour.com.

Before touring with him you get his writing to read about VN and Saigon. After touring with him you get photos emailed or posted on FB or sent to your home.

That is better part from Zoom besides his qualification as a professional guide.

( I assume you are pleased with photos he sent as we did ).

We are in Vietnam in October and have booked our trips with http://www.shoreexcursions.asia/. Their prices are reasonable and I have had very prompt responses from them to all my e-mails.

Just hope that their service on the day is as good!

Hi all CC's

 

I will be stopping in Vietnam at Phu my/ho chi min city, chan may/Da Nang and Halong Bay/hanoi.

 

Can anyone reccommend any DIY or private tours at these ports, and what there involved and cost. Also any contacts you can recommend.

 

much appreciated

 

 

Thanks

On a visit to VN ports you need to have an expert guide to explain the complicated history of Vietnam ( after 1802 till now ) with the French, Japanese, American, nationalists, communists.

We had a terrific guide for many times and wish all of you who besides interests in sights, culture,...have a need in finding answers to many questions related to history of this land could have even a short talk over a cup of coffee with him in Saigon.

I mentioned his name earlier in some quotes. Look for him and you will be pleased with his knowledge on history.

Did any of your Vietnam guides request a deposit in advance by credit card or western union and the remainder of the tour to be paid two weeks prior to the date of the tour? The deposit requested by the guide I contacted was 60.00 per person for 10 people.

Kathy

Kathy yes my guides want a deposit but more in the range of $25. pp with the balance due on day of tour.

Kathy yes my guides want a deposit but more in the range of $25. pp with the balance due on day of tour.

Thanks the two I have gotten quotes from ( both very well known on CC and TA) want a much higher deposit.

Kathy

Thanks the two I have gotten quotes from ( both very well known on CC and TA) want a much higher deposit.

Kathy

My guide I mentioned above just needed a deposit equal to 30% of tour cost or even waived should you have difficulties in sending money.