10-Day Vietnam: HCMC, Hoi An, Hanoi | without Ha Giang Loop

Additional Notes

• DAY 1: Trip starts in Ho Chi Minh City at 18:00. Guests to arrive into Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN). The kick-start meeting starts at 18:00. Recommended flight arrival time by 15:00 to avoid missing the kick-start meeting.
• DAY 10: Trip ends in Hanoi at 09:00. Guests to depart from Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport (HAN).
• TRANSFERS: Private chargeable arrival transfers are available from Ho Chi Minh Airport (SGN). Transfers will operate per flight information details on the first day of the trip. Transfers can be booked on a single or twin basis. Twin transfers require two passengers traveling together on the same reference number and arrival flight. Departure transfers are not available.
• VIETNAM: USA passport holders require a visa for Vietnam. Visa must be obtained prior to departure. We recommend applying approx. 60 days prior to departure.
• IMPORTANT: Please see important visa details sent with your invoice.
• ENTRY INTO VIETNAM: Guests arriving through all international airports are encouraged to complete the online Pre-Arrival Information Declaration within 3 days prior to arrival via the official portal https://prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.
• IMPORTANT: Single accommodation is not available at special stays in Halong Bay (Day 8).
• INTERNAL FLIGHTS: Luggage allowance is limited to 1 suitcase per guest (maximum of 44lbs/20Kg) and 1 piece of hand luggage per guest, not exceeding 12"x11"x6" (30x28x14cm). Refer to trip documents for any exceptions.
• GROUND HANDLER: This trip is operated by Contiki Holidays Asia Limited & you have one of our awesome Trip Managers on board. In South East Asia we contract our Ground services through a local Destination Management Company, called Trails of Indochina. Their local guides & our Trip Manager will look after you through-out the trip.
• Bangkok: A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.
• Danang: Vietnam is wonderful to visit year-round. But the best time to visit depends on what you wanna do, and where in Vietnam you wanna go.Generally, April & May are thought to be the best months to visit Vietnam because of the beautifully bright weather. Between December and March is a slightly cooler period. So if hiking, or city-dwelling is what you want, that’s the best time to visit. And if you wanna avoid the crowds, off-season tends to be between April and June or September to November.
• Danang: The currency used in Vietnam (that can buy you a wholesome, delicious bowl of Pho) is the Vietnamese dong (₫).
• Danang: Planning to visit Vietnam to taste all the wholesome flavours? Aren’t we all?You’ll find plenty of street food stop-offs, serving up freshly made gems including rice, noodle and battered pancake-based dishes, plus the world-famous Pho. Pork is a common feature of Vietnamese cuisine. Generally, Vietnamese food isn’t too spicy (except if your dish has fresh chillies in it!) Oh, and the best thing about the food here? It’s very very cheap.
• Danang: When you travel with Contiki, your accommodation, in-country transport and breakfasts are all included with the cost of your trip. So when it comes to budgeting, you only need to worry about your shopping! Luckily, Vietnam is heralded as an extremely affordable tourist destination too. As a rough guide, you should easily get by on US $50-80 a day.
• Danang: We’ll be visiting some traditional tourist hotspots - so don’t forget to keep your shoulders covered (it's customary in Vietnam, and will probably be insisted). For all that beach exploration, it’s generally acceptable for tourists to dress in the swimwear of their choice.Vietnam tends to get very hot & humid, so make sure you pack lots of loose-fitting clothes made from a lightweight and breathable material. Big up the baggy shirts!
• Danang: Tipping is pretty common in Vietnam’s tourism and hospitality sectors. Usually you’ll pay 10% of the total bill, which will amount to roughly $1-5.
• Danang: On some days, the Free Time Add-Ons will be during different times. So you’ll be able to do them all! But on some days, you might have to pick just one. Don’t worry, your Trip Manager will do their best to manage all of this for you, and will be able to give you all the details you might need.
• Danang: You can bring one bag or suitcase of 73cm x 50cm x 25cm (29” x 20” x 10”), with a max weight of 20kg (44lbs) – plus one piece of hand luggage suitable as a carry-on for flights. Since our trips have included flights, your luggage needs to meet the weight & security restrictions imposed by airlines. On this trip, it’s necessary to use an overnight bag on the occasional nights when it’s not possible to access your luggage (overnight trips to Special Stays). It’s a good idea to bring an overnight bag, or hand luggage that’s big enough to double up as an overnighter when needed.
• Danang: Currently, the Golden Hands Bridge isn’t included on our itinerary. But that means, you get a free day to explore Hoi An - which you REALLY don’t wanna miss out on.The Bridge is part of a theme park called ‘Sun World Ba Na Hills’ and is about a 2-hour drive away from where we stay in Hoi An (and tends to be incredibly crowded!). But if you really wanna visit the bridge, you can always ask your Trip Manager who’ll sort it out for you!