Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [10]
We’ve listed some of the bigger and better-established agents below with a solid reputation for organizing small-group and customized tours, and given details of others throughout the Guide.
Getting there | Organized tours |
Specialist tour operators abroad
Abercrombie & Kent UK 0845/070 0615, US 1-800/554-7016, Australia 03/9536 1800, New Zealand 0800/441 638; www.abercrombiekent.com. Specialist in luxury tours, many of which feature Vietnam as part of a greater trip through Indochina.
Active Travel Australia 1800/634 157, 02/6249 6122, www.activetravel.com.au. Broad range of culture and adventure tours, plus customized itineraries.
Artisans of Leisure US 1-800/214-8144, www.artisansofleisure.com. Luxury private and individually tailored tours, including contemporary style, family and culinary tours.
Asian Pacific Adventures US 1-800/825-1680 or 818/881-2745, www.asianpacificadventures.com. Tailor-made and small-group tours, including trekking and hill-tribe markets.
Backroads US 1-800/GO-ACTIVE or 510/527-1555, www.backroads.com. Cycling, hiking and multi-sport tours, with the emphasis on going at your own pace.
Birding Worldwide Australia 03/9899 9303, www.birdingworldwide.com.au. Prestigious company that organizes group trips to some of the world’s best birdwatching destinations, including a combined Vietnam and Cambodia tour.
Common Ground Journeys US 503/307-7524, www.commongroundjourney.com. Specialist, not-for-profit Vietnamese cycle-tour company.
Exodus UK 020/8675 5550, www.exodus.co.uk. Adventure-tour operator taking small groups on specialist programmes that take in trekking, biking, kayaking and cultural trips.
Global Exchange US 415/648-8068, www.globalexchange.org. A not-for-profit human rights organization that leads educational tours of Vietnam.
Griswalds Vietnamese Vacations Australia 02/9564 5040, www.vietnamvacations.com.au. Vietnam specialist offering small-group, tailor-made itineraries.
Imaginative Traveller UK 01473/667 337, www.imaginative-traveller.com. Small-group adventure tours to Vietnam from a responsible travel operator.
Intrepid Travel UK 020/8960 6333, Australia 1300/3670 887 or 03/9473 2626, New Zealand 0800/174 043; www.intrepidtravel.com. Small-group tours with the emphasis on cross-cultural contact and low-impact tourism, and itineraries ranging from gourmet tours to cycling charity challenges.
Journeys International US 1-800/255-8735, www.journeys.travel. Prestigious, award-winning operator focusing on eco-tourism and small-group trips.
Peregrine Adventures Australia 1300/854 444 or 03/8601 4444, www.peregrine.net.au. Small-group adventure-travel specialist offering trekking, cycling and explorer tours to Vietnam.
Regent Holidays UK 0845/277 3317, www.regent-holidays.co.uk. Well-established agent with a reputation for good-value, tailor-made travel arrangements. Off-the-shelf itineraries include a fourteen-day “Grand Indochina” tour, or the shorter nine-day “Classic Vietnam” option.
responsibletravel.com UK 01273/600030, www.responsibletravel.com. UK-based online travel agent listing pre-screened holidays from responsible tourism operators.
Velo Asia 1-888/833-4533 or 415/731-4311, www.veloasia.com. Vietnam specialist with a range of organized and tailor-made cycling adventure tours.
World Expeditions UK 020/8545 9030, US & Canada 1-800/567-2216. Australia 1300/720 000, New Zealand 09/368 4161; www.worldexpeditions.com.au, www.worldexpeditions.co.uk. Australian-owned adventure company with a programme ranging from sea-kayaking on Ha Long Bay to climbing Mount Fan Si Pan. Also offers community project trips, where participants help renovate a local school, for example, and arrange charity challenges.
Getting there | Organized tours |
Local tour operators
Ann Tours 58 Ton That Tung, Ho Chi Minh City 08/3833 2564, www.anntours.com. A highly recommended, small-scale operation that offers personal service and good-value, tailor-made tours throughout the country.
Buffalo Tours 11 Hang Muoi, Hanoi 04/3828 0702; Satra