Private Tour Guides in Asia

We just returned from a fantastic cruise to Asia. All of the guides and drivers that we had prebooked were excellent, and I would like to recommend them to others.

Bali - Wayan Juli - bebalinesetour@yahoo.com

Komodo Island - Hendrik (GoToKomodo) - hendrickenglishtourguide@gmail.com

Sandakan - Arnold Sanchez - arnoldvsanchez@gmail.com

Manila - Jessie Ureta - jureta83@gmail.com (speaks English and Japanese)

Hualien, Taiwan - CJ Chen - cjtwn@yahoo.com.tw

Kyoto - Satoko Kuroda - cappucinnodayon@yahoo.co.jp

Thank you for the list of guides I will contact Wayan... the other ports we will not be visiting on this crusie...

Thank you for the list of guides I will contact Wayan... the other ports we will not be visiting on this crusie...

I think we're on the same cruise in 2017 - Best of India and Sri Lanka. Looking forward to meeting you then.

Hi Sandy. It was good to be next door neighbors on the Quest!

We used a different set of tour guides and because we went to different places before and after the Azamara Quest cruise I will add the guides that we used.

Taipei Taiwan. Christine Wu keelung.christine@gmail.com Christine and her husband gave us a wonderful day in Taipei. We were at the airport so she included the rural areas and costal area before the city sights. Her husband (a tall Dutchman was great at the night market -- a head taller than the rest of the crowds!:D Wonderful time and we saw so much in our one day.

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia For the UNESCO world heritage sites Borobudur and Prambanen Temples. We also saw the Sultan's Palace and many craft makers. Suprapto Suprapto know as Soupy from discoveryogyakarta.yahoo.com was our guide and he was knowledgeable and spoke good English and could drive in that crazy crazy traffic safely!

Ubud and Bali, Indonesia. Freddie and Dean from Drivers of Distinction were our guides on 3 days in Bali. Reach these wonderful guides through email at deanbalidean@gmail.com. First of all they handle the big SUV on the tiny crowded roads with pure genius! They love to show off their beautiful country and Dean in particular is a wonderful photographer and knows just where to go to get outstanding photos -- even with my point and shoot.

Kyoto and Nara, Japan Takakazu Machi is a gentleman who loves Kyoto and its beautiful buildings and history. He has a very comfortable car and he speaks very clearly in English (he says he learned English by singing along with American pop songs.) We totally enjoyed our time with Taka and highly recommend him. Reach him at http://privatetour-Kyoto.com

Tokyo, Japan Yosuke Yokokura of Discover Japan Tours was our very personable guide to the huge city of Tokyo. He is full of suggestions of what to see and do BUT listens well and plans what you want to do (we were a little templed out and we were very tired on the 31st day of the trip) and help you see what interests you. Huge city and day and 1/2 but we felt like we saw as much as possible. email at office@discover-japan-tours.com

All of these guides were polite, spoke English well, drove safely in comfortable clean cars, communicated well by email to work out itineraries and then did what they promised for the price agreed upon. I highly recommend them to you if you are traveling in that part of the world. So much to see and experience. Safe travels.

We have 5 days post cruise in Tokyo. Looking for hotels in both Kyoto and Tokyo. Any recommendations and what area of Tokyo is best to stay. It is such a large city. Appreciate any thought. Plus how much do the guides cost. I am interested

Hiya Sandy,

Thanks for the recommendations...

Can you tell me a little about your time on Komodo and the cost? Wanting to do a little swimming too if we can, and interested if you did or not, and how long the tour was for?

Vietnam - Ann Tours Tony was the contact person. We used this company for Saigon, Hue and Hanoi. Each guide was top notch and the tours excellent.

Cambodia: Ana Tours good tour, and the guide spoke good English.

China: Beijing Discovery Tours. Jeff was the contact person. Tour guides were all excellent.

Taiwan: My Taiwan Tours Good company to deal with.

Hiya Sandy,

Thanks for the recommendations...

Can you tell me a little about your time on Komodo and the cost? Wanting to do a little swimming too if we can, and interested if you did or not, and how long the tour was for?

Hi Tracey.

Our tour with Hendrik lasted around 2 hours. We just wanted to see the dragons, but I believe that he does offer the pink beach in addition. Our cost for just the dragons at the National Park was $65 per person if we had at least 10 people. Since we had more than 20 people, he charged us $60 per person. Hendrik supplied a guide for each group of 10 people. Each group also had 2 park rangers.

I believe that Hendrik quoted $110 - $115 per person if we wanted to go snorkeling. That tour also included lunch.

Thank you soooo much Sandy!

Hello everyone

We have just left yangon on Oceania Nautica. Cruise Port is very ordinary, but a shuttle to gates is provided. Plenty of taxis despite Nautica's advice they were very limited. Cruise port is at least 1 hour from Yangon City - dependant on traffic which can be very heavy and slow.

Minimum one way would be $15, but probably $20- 25 more likely. We used Zaw Hein for 3 days - reliable, clean car with good air con. zhein365 at gmail dotcom

Zaw is keen to work and was a careful driver with adequate English. We would use him again.

We just returned from a fantastic cruise to Asia. All of the guides and drivers that we had prebooked were excellent, and I would like to recommend them to others.

 

Bali - Wayan Juli - bebalinesetour@yahoo.com

 

Komodo Island - Hendrik (GoToKomodo) - hendrickenglishtourguide@gmail.com

 

Sandakan - Arnold Sanchez - arnoldvsanchez@gmail.com

 

Manila - Jessie Ureta - jureta83@gmail.com (speaks English and Japanese)

 

Hualien, Taiwan - CJ Chen - cjtwn@yahoo.com.tw

 

Kyoto - Satoko Kuroda - cappucinnodayon@yahoo.co.jp

For Saigon, Vietnam or Hochiminh, Vietnam Zoom is reliable. He is quick in replying your mails, giving me a thought he never sleeps. His prices are reasonable and plus the added values after tour, unexpected.

His English is kind of excellent. He reviews the history especially on VN war and many aspects of life. In one-day city tour from ship we learnt more than other tours at other ports.

Zoom also asks if you are pleased to have touring photos to be posted in his FB and your family, friends can see them.

Before tour, he will send his clients some 60 pieces of his English writing on Vietnam and Saigon, each from 1 to 3 A4 pages.

Zoom has a very long term in travel services. He was tour guide for Chelsea Clinton in Saigon on his visit to Vietnam in 2000. Family of US Senator Percy on their return to VN in 2009 found their father's destiny village under Zoom's accurate guiding.

You can find his email in some other threads.

We quite enjoyed our time with him.

I had Putu Supartana for five days while in Bali, including pick up and return to the airport. We drove all over Bali, exploring the entire island, usually for 10 hours a day. I would not have been able to see so much if it hadn't been for him. Not only his excellent driving skills, and excellent English, but he worked with me to plan each day's itinerary both before I left home and after I arrived. He has a great van with A/C and is very knowledgeable and helpful. Please consider him to pick you up in Benoa and take you around Bali, if you are arriving on a cruise ship. Best places to see are the Ubud area and the rice terraces and temples. I might add that his rates are extremely reasonable and his in depth knowledge of all aspects of Bali is invaluable. His contact info:

putu.supartana@yahoo.com

http://www.putudriverinbali.wordpress.com/

Marilyn

I think we're on the same cruise in 2017 - Best of India and Sri Lanka. Looking forward to meeting you then.

Look forward to meeting you.

Are you arranging any private tours?

Ann

For Saigon, Vietnam or Hochiminh, Vietnam Zoom is reliable. He is quick in replying your mails, giving me a thought he never sleeps. His prices are reasonable and plus the added values after tour, unexpected.

His English is kind of excellent. He reviews the history especially on VN war and many aspects of life. In one-day city tour from ship we learnt more than other tours at other ports.

Zoom also asks if you are pleased to have touring photos to be posted in his FB and your family, friends can see them.

Before tour, he will send his clients some 60 pieces of his English writing on Vietnam and Saigon, each from 1 to 3 A4 pages.

Zoom has a very long term in travel services. He was tour guide for Chelsea Clinton in Saigon on his visit to Vietnam in 2000. Family of US Senator Percy on their return to VN in 2009 found their father's destiny village under Zoom's accurate guiding.

You can find his email in some other threads.

We quite enjoyed our time with him.

I could not find his email, does anyone have it?

I could not find his email, does anyone have it?

Zoom's email is dungzoom@gmail.com

Hope you have a good tour with him.

Tokyo, Japan

Yosuke Yokokura of Discover Japan Tours was our very personable guide to the huge city of Tokyo. He is full of suggestions of what to see and do BUT listens well and plans what you want to do (we were a little templed out and we were very tired on the 31st day of the trip) and help you see what interests you. Huge city and day and 1/2 but we felt like we saw as much as possible. email at office@discover-japan-tours.com

 

All of these guides were polite, spoke English well, drove safely in comfortable clean cars, communicated well by email to work out itineraries and then did what they promised for the price agreed upon. I highly recommend them to you if you are traveling in that part of the world. So much to see and experience. Safe travels.

I second Barbara's commendation of Yosuke (owner of Discover Japan Tours)!

DH Dave and I are back from our fabulous 31-day Japan trip (one week in Tokyo and one week in Osaka before boarding the Volendam at Kobe for the 17-day Japan and trans-Pacific crossing to Vancouver) with countless happy memories and photos--and want to again thank Barbara (and others on other threads) for telling us about Yosuke!

DH Dave and I loved the people and places of Japan--and cannot wait to return! One of the reasons we had such a marvelous time is thanks to Yosuke.

He took care of our private limo transfer from Tokyo's Narita Airport to our Tokyo hotel and personally conducted several outstanding customized day-tours for us: highlights of Tokyo one day using public transportation and another day in his comfortable van to Nikko to see the amazing temple/shrine and shogun tomb as well as the surrounding mountains, lakes, and waterfalls. I also booked him for six of us from our Cruise Critic roll call via his van to Kamakura (to see the world's largest outdoor Buddha in a gorgeous mountain setting) from our Tokyo port all--and everyone was thrilled with his expertise, graciousness, and friendliness, too. (His senior year of high school was in Colorado, and his English is perfect.)

We'd also booked a day for the two of us with him to Mt. Fuji on the last day at our Tokyo hotel--but there were heavy rains and he actually contacted us early that morning to tell us we'd not get to see much of anything AND, therefore, he immediately refunded our entire payment! This rarely happens in the tour business, and we were deeply impressed by his honesty and thoughtfulness.

Prior to our arrival, my husband and I had Skyped and emailed with him to customize our tours and get advice about many things (including the best way to maximize our JR Green Car Pass)--and he always followed up quickly and thoroughly (and patiently).

We feel as we now have a delightful friend as well as first-rate guide in Japan!

Let me know if you have any questions about our time in Japan or our cruise.

Mary-Lou

We jsut came back from the Volendam and one of the ports we visited was Thilawa (Myanmar).

Tony had been recommended to us by another cruise critic member and we asked him to put a 2 day tour together for us. We went to Bago AND Yangon.

Tony speaks very good English, he is professional and his tour was pleasant and well organized.

I would recommend Tony without hesitation if you are looking for a memorable visit in Myanmar.

tonyhlashwe at gmail dot com

Thanks everyone for all these private guides. Now it's time to do my research. Just 7 months until my World Cruise begins!!!

i'd like to add Tommy Tours Hoi An to this list.

we've just returned once again from Hoi An and used this wonderful tour guide

his email is tommyxuanha@gmail.com

and his trip advisor reviews show many cruise tours from both ports in Danang

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g298082-d8127394-Reviews-Tommy_Tours_Hoi_An_Day_Tours-Hoi_An_Quang_Nam_Province.html

I could not find his email, does anyone have it?

His website is http://www.saigonprivatetour.com

His website is http://www.saigonprivatetour.com

Try

dungzoom@gmail.com

Hello everyone

 

We have just left yangon on Oceania Nautica. Cruise Port is very ordinary, but a shuttle to gates is provided. Plenty of taxis despite Nautica's advice they were very limited. Cruise port is at least 1 hour from Yangon City - dependant on traffic which can be very heavy and slow.

Minimum one way would be $15, but probably $20- 25 more likely. We used Zaw Hein for 3 days - reliable, clean car with good air con. zhein365 at gmail dotcom

Zaw is keen to work and was a careful driver with adequate English. We would use him again.

We were also in Myanmar in March, we were on the Volendam. We wanted to see Bango and Yangoon in 2 days and then rest on the ship on the 3rd day. We were concerned about using only a driver for safety reason so we booked a guide AND a driver in a mini bus. Tony was reliable, spoke excellent English and provided a thorough visit. We saw a lot in a little time and it was a comfortable tour. I recommend Tony's services who can be joined at : tonylashwe@gmail.com

We were also in Myanmar in March, we were on the Volendam. We wanted to see Bango and Yangoon in 2 days and then rest on the ship on the 3rd day. We were concerned about using only a driver for safety reason so we booked a guide AND a driver in a mini bus. Tony was reliable, spoke excellent English and provided a thorough visit. We saw a lot in a little time and it was a comfortable tour. I recommend Tony's services who can be joined at : tonylashwe@gmail.com

ERROR in email address, forgot one letter.

Correct email is : tonyhlashwe@gmail.com

You can also reach me at worldcruisehal at gmail dot com

Louise