cookie at home Posted December 8, 2009 #1 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Can anyone who has used Smile Tours give me contact details for THI as there are so many agents using the Smile Tour name it is difficult . I beleive she is extremely reputable. My husband & i will be sailing on the SUN PRINCESS which leaves Fremantle Australia 31-MAY-10 We arrive in PHU MY 8-JUN-10 we would like to visit CHI CHU TUNNELS & whatever else we can fit in . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comcox Posted December 9, 2009 #2 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Website: www.smiletourvn.com Email: info@smiletoursvietnam.com or thi_travel@yahoo.com Phone: +84 918209273 Above is for contacting Ms. Thi. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie at home Posted December 9, 2009 Author #3 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Thankyou this information is greatly appreciated i will email Ms Thi direct with my queries . :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmal Posted December 9, 2009 #4 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Thankyou this information is greatly appreciated i will email Ms Thi direct with my queries . :) She handled my tours for Saigon, Hanoi and now I am in Danang, I met her Yesterday at the Rex hotel in Saigon, Lovely woman. I am on the Dec 2 Ocean "P" cruise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie at home Posted December 9, 2009 Author #5 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Yes i contacted her yesterday & received a very prompt response. We did initially want to go to the chi chu tunels but she advised us to rethink as its 3hrs travel to & from & the actual time at tunnels is approx 90 mins which really does not leave any time for anything else ,..mind you Princess are offering this tour with lunch stop & market shopping which makes me think it would be cut short due to time limit in port & it was quite expensive also. Thi has suggested HIGHLIGHTS OF SAIGON TOUR ...i must say prices seem very reasonable & the more people the cheaper it becomes so even with the exchange { australian dollar to usd } it seems a good deal now all i have to hope for is more interest on the roll call ..as yet NO others & its just over 5months away!! { SUN PRINCESS SOUTHEAST ASIA EXPLORER 21 DAYS ROUNDTRIP DEPARTING FREMANTLE AUSTRALIA 31ST MAY 2010 } would be nice to get a couple more interested folk to do the tour with ..but even with just the two of us the prices are cheaper than Princess & from what i have read Thi is very reputable .Do you know if i have to pay in advance or on the day ??? my only concern paying in advance is if by some fluke we don't get there ...bad weather time delays etc. Any other advice ??:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade13 Posted December 10, 2009 #6 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Yes i contacted her yesterday & received a very prompt response. We did initially want to go to the chi chu tunels but she advised us to rethink as its 3hrs travel to & from & the actual time at tunnels is approx 90 mins which really does not leave any time for anything else ,..mind you Princess are offering this tour with lunch stop & market shopping which makes me think it would be cut short due to time limit in port & it was quite expensive also. Thi has suggested HIGHLIGHTS OF SAIGON TOUR ...i must say prices seem very reasonable & the more people the cheaper it becomes so even with the exchange { australian dollar to usd } it seems a good deal now all i have to hope for is more interest on the roll call ..as yet NO others & its just over 5months away!! { SUN PRINCESS SOUTHEAST ASIA EXPLORER 21 DAYS ROUNDTRIP DEPARTING FREMANTLE AUSTRALIA 31ST MAY 2010 } would be nice to get a couple more interested folk to do the tour with ..but even with just the two of us the prices are cheaper than Princess & from what i have read Thi is very reputable .Do you know if i have to pay in advance or on the day ??? my only concern paying in advance is if by some fluke we don't get there ...bad weather time delays etc. Any other advice ??:) You pay on arrival. Go to your roll call to find others to join you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie at home Posted December 10, 2009 Author #7 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Thanks Jade , i have a roll call going but as i said no interest as yet with 5 months to go so fingers crossed . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkohawaii Posted December 10, 2009 #8 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I too am considering the Cu Chi tunnels with Princess. Anyone know how Princess can do it when it takes so long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie at home Posted December 10, 2009 Author #9 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Only a guess but i think the tour at the tunnels would be cut a little to save time or perhaps they increase the speed limit to get there quicker ...have been told the roads are very bumpy going there anyhow think i will now consider Ms Thi's HIGHLIGHTS OF SAIGON TOUR & save the tunnels when perhaps we visit Vietnam for longer non cruising Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmal Posted December 10, 2009 #10 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Yes i contacted her yesterday & received a very prompt response. We did initially want to go to the chi chu tunels but she advised us to rethink as its 3hrs travel to & from & the actual time at tunnels is approx 90 mins which really does not leave any time for anything else ,..mind you Princess are offering this tour with lunch stop & market shopping which makes me think it would be cut short due to time limit in port & it was quite expensive also. Thi has suggested HIGHLIGHTS OF SAIGON TOUR ...i must say prices seem very reasonable & the more people the cheaper it becomes so even with the exchange { australian dollar to usd } it seems a good deal now all i have to hope for is more interest on the roll call ..as yet NO others & its just over 5months away!! { SUN PRINCESS SOUTHEAST ASIA EXPLORER 21 DAYS ROUNDTRIP DEPARTING FREMANTLE AUSTRALIA 31ST MAY 2010 } would be nice to get a couple more interested folk to do the tour with ..but even with just the two of us the prices are cheaper than Princess & from what i have read Thi is very reputable .Do you know if i have to pay in advance or on the day ??? my only concern paying in advance is if by some fluke we don't get there ...bad weather time delays etc. Any other advice ??:) Just finished a 3 day, Saigon-Hanoi-Danang, which she arranged for me, I paid her at the end of the day in Saigon for the whole trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmal Posted December 10, 2009 #11 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Only a guess but i think the tour at the tunnels would be cut a little to save time or perhaps they increase the speed limit to get there quicker ...have been told the roads are very bumpy going there anyhow think i will now consider Ms Thi's HIGHLIGHTS OF SAIGON TOUR & save the tunnels when perhaps we visit Vietnam for longer non cruising Tunnels are North West of Saigon, highway out of port about half way there and then 2 lane roads. I think the tunnels are the nly thing you will do, we spent about 2 hours there, there are other things to see before you actually go down in the tunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie at home Posted December 10, 2009 Author #12 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Thanks for the info Al think we will give the tunnels a miss for this time though and opt for the highlights of saigon with Ms Thi the prices are very reasonable & from what i have read she comes highly recommended for good service . Not sure whether to book with her now for just my husband & myself { with just over 5mths no interest on my roll call as yet :( } or wait a bit longer & hope to get a few more takers ..:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmal Posted December 11, 2009 #13 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Thanks for the info Al think we will give the tunnels a miss for this time though and opt for the highlights of saigon with Ms Thi the prices are very reasonable & from what i have read she comes highly recommended for good service . Not sure whether to book with her now for just my husband & myself { with just over 5mths no interest on my roll call as yet :( } or wait a bit longer & hope to get a few more takers ..:) If you book now, you get the best guide, you know your itinary, which can be modified later, and ech time a couple joins it get cheaper for everybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade13 Posted December 11, 2009 #14 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Tunnels are North West of Saigon, highway out of port about half way there and then 2 lane roads. I think the tunnels are the nly thing you will do, we spent about 2 hours there, there are other things to see before you actually go down in the tunnel. So, did your wife get to shoot an AK-47 :) Al, that is interesting that there are other things to do there besides going inside the tunnels. Right now we only have a group of four because I'm finding most people on the cruise ship are not interested in this tour for one reason or another. I guess it would be nice to know that the tour would still be of value to someone who had a spouse that did not want to go underground (I understand the drive there is through rice fields). So, what else did you see before gong down, film, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatam Posted December 11, 2009 #15 Share Posted December 11, 2009 So, did your wife get to shoot an AK-47 :) Al, that is interesting that there are other things to do there besides going inside the tunnels. Right now we only have a group of four because I'm finding most people on the cruise ship are not interested in this tour for one reason or another. I guess it would be nice to know that the tour would still be of value to someone who had a spouse that did not want to go underground (I understand the drive there is through rice fields). So, what else did you see before gong down, film, etc? The underground part is a VERY small part of the tour. In fact, it is the shortest portion and the most boring. The drive to Cu Chi is through/adjacent to the Michelin rubber plantation. There are a few rice paddies along the way, as well as plenty of water buffaloes. There are exhibit boards showing the tunnel complex with the hospitals, dining halls, sleeping quarters, etc., all laid out on the info board. There is usually a demonstration of how difficult it was to find the tunnel entrances for the US. A Vietnamese dressed as a VietCong/ARVN usually shows you how small the entry holes were and disappears into one of them right before your eyes. One of the guides (not your guide, the Cu Chi guide) points out all the pungi sticks and other traps used to guard the tunnel complex. Before you leave, there is a display and souvenir store selling snake wine, VietCong hats and clothings, etc. There is only one small section of the entire tunnel complex that is "westernized". Crawling through it should NOT be a priority, IMHO. It is dirty, moldy smelling and not the real thing, anyway. The War history and the inventiveness of the VietCong is the primary reason to go to Cu Chi if you have never been there before. I go now to the shooting range to fire the mortars. DH has a couple of AK's, so even that is no fun anymore. If you know someone who was a tunnel rat during the War, you can REALLY appreciate Cu Chi. Otherwise, maybe not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmal Posted December 13, 2009 #16 Share Posted December 13, 2009 So, did your wife get to shoot an AK-47 :) Al, that is interesting that there are other things to do there besides going inside the tunnels. Right now we only have a group of four because I'm finding most people on the cruise ship are not interested in this tour for one reason or another. I guess it would be nice to know that the tour would still be of value to someone who had a spouse that did not want to go underground (I understand the drive there is through rice fields). So, what else did you see before gong down, film, etc? She was shooting it at me, I was running into a tunnel. $18.00 for 10 rounds on fully automatic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade13 Posted December 13, 2009 #17 Share Posted December 13, 2009 She was shooting it at me, I was running into a tunnel. $18.00 for 10 rounds on fully automatic. Too funny. 10 rounds = how many bullets? Is the range in walking distance to the tunnels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramelo Posted December 15, 2009 #18 Share Posted December 15, 2009 We have seen similar tunnels in Peking, so this time we want to do a tour on the delta mekong and to the city. Smile tour is for me in the moment the agency with the best service, because I contact with other ones aswell and they didn´t help me so much than Thi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmal Posted December 15, 2009 #19 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Too funny. 10 rounds = how many bullets? Is the range in walking distance to the tunnels? The range is part of the whole tunnel complex, next to the gift shop in the middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmal Posted December 15, 2009 #20 Share Posted December 15, 2009 We have seen similar tunnels in Peking, so this time we want to do a tour on the delta mekong and to the city. Smile tour is for me in the moment the agency with the best service, because I contact with other ones aswell and they didn´t help me so much than Thi. Thi arranged everything for us in all 3 cities, the Chu Chi has more than just the crawl thru tunnels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramelo Posted December 23, 2009 #21 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Thi arranged everything for us in all 3 cities, the Chu Chi has more than just the crawl thru tunnels. I dont know if I should arange aswell the Hue tour. But we have to be back at 6pm and maybe its better to do it with the ships excursions? What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmal Posted December 23, 2009 #22 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I dont know if I should arange aswell the Hue tour. But we have to be back at 6pm and maybe its better to do it with the ships excursions? What do you think? Hue is up near Danang, and it was further than we could go, we went to Hui-an and danang and then to the port at Chan May Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramelo Posted December 23, 2009 #23 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Well, we wanted do the rivertour till Hue. I am afried to get back to the ship to late, this is the problem. So I havent arranged anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade13 Posted December 24, 2009 #24 Share Posted December 24, 2009 I dont know if I should arange aswell the Hue tour. But we have to be back at 6pm and maybe its better to do it with the ships excursions? What do you think? How many days do you have in HCMC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramelo Posted December 25, 2009 #25 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Hi, in HCMC we are about 1 and 1/2 days, because we get there about 2pm. I have got it organized, 1º day delta mekong river, 2º day city tour. My problem is now Hue. We arrive 7am and stay till 6pm, do you think I can take a chance to do the daytrip with smiletours? Or I have to be careful in case we dont get back to the ship at time? I dont want to loose the ship hahhaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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