How to vet a tour operator?
 

Hello,

My folks and I are on the verge of sending our initial payment to a tour operator and as I can't find any review through initial google searches I wondered if anyone has an opinion on how to gauge the risk of a scam -

I know it's an odd request - writing this on behalf of my father who is seeking some form of peace of mind! I say traveling is an adventure - he's become more risk averse as he ages ....

This is the company - we're doing 11 days/ 10 nights North to South:

Lan Nguyen
Senior Travel Consultant
Vietnam Heritage Travel
Care your travel sense
Add: # 6 West Lakeside Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: + 84437264687
Fax: +84437264688
Email: * [email protected]
Website: www.vietnamheritagetravel.com

Why would you pick a company with no track record, when there are plenty of companies - some frequently mentioned here - that do have records?

Good point, of course. My dad is spear-heading the planning and isn't very responsive to um, input. I'll pass on your suggestion - thank you.

You might also mention to him that Vietnam is loaded with travel agencies, and a lot of them try to piggyback on the successful ones. If you don't know, it can be hard to distinguish the "real" (i.e. original and well-reviewed) Sinh Cafe from all the imitators, for example. I'd regard this outfit with a great deal of skepticism, since there seems to be NOTHING on the web about it other than its own website.

Thank you. I've contacted agencies today that were well regarded by a few posters - asking for a similar itinerary. As you know, if you search long enough for a negative review about anything on the web - you'll find it... But I also find it odd no one else mentioned the agency I posted about above.

I hope to hear from one of the following and set up our trip:

Kangaroo Cafe, Buffalo, Tonkin, Min Max, and Vivu Travel.

Your postings will help convince him to look elsewhere.

Check them out with Tourism Board to see if licensed
and approved I ALWAYS pay with credit card so I can always
get my money back especially in Vietnam rife with
touts and scammers.NEVER wire money many lose it all.
insuremytrip.com for fraud always wise.
www.affordableasia.com www.affordabletours.com
many reputable tours there.

Good luck!

Had a look at web site no mention of credit cards or tourism
credentials a very BAD sign.Tell your dad just do not do it!

Globus and Tauck are top of the heap 40% off on
affordabletours.com on sales might consider something
safe like that for best experience.Excellent personal
experience with Globus as a newbie in the past.

Globus and Tauck for Vietnam??? Nonsense.

tonkin is often used by fodorites and i personally had fantastic results with them and even visited their hanoi office...

Thank you all. Will let you know if/when we purchase.

I very much like the front page logo:

<i>Vietnam Heritage - Care your travel sense.</i>

It's a secret message to your father, anjgupta...

We chose Tonkin in 2010 and they were outstanding.

Paid a deposit via bank tranfer and the rest on arrival at their Hanoi office.

We would definitely use their services again.
The price was good too.

Don't you just love google translate?

We used Vietnamstay (Aurora Travel) for a few of our hotel reservations and they were fantastic - good prices, and great communication. It was either than or Tonkin, based on what I'd read here. Buffalo Tours also looks like a very reputable operator (online, and we passed their offices when we were there).

Update - my folks are going ahead with Heritage, much to my dismay. I'm now deciding to find my own parallel tour (silly, I know) as I'm disinclined towards Heritage or travel on my own.

anjgupta - travel on your own in Vietnam is very easy, you really don't have to have a tour! The train service is reliable - see seat61.com - and the Open Bus system will also get you from place to place easily - try for the "real" Sinh Cafe for that.

Hope you'll come back and tell us how Heritage works out - just might be fine.

Hi forum,

The trip came and went so quickly - feels like years ago after 1 week back in the states. Just a quick follow up - I can provide more details as needed - on Vietnam Heritage Tours.

I have to eat crow but the tour was top-notch. Excellent drivers, guides, amazing 3-star hotels and all the sights.

They focus on larger group tours and don't have a large U.S. presence yet. For the most part it was just me and my folks in a 9 passenger van touring the cities and getting the guide's full attention (rather wasteful, I know). We may have lucked out with the guides as most of them are independent contractor types and so it's unlikely different tours will experience the same set of guides.

I could get used to having bags delivered to rooms, drivers on call waiting to pick up, nice hotels, etc. Might lose my preference for hostels! Although the Hanoi Hostel in which I spent the first night was also excellent.

Anjali

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear you had a great time. But it sounds like this company is aiming for bigger groups?

Not sure if that is true - just that historically it may have a reputation with the larger tour groups. Thus the lack of a (decent) presence on the web.

I told our 'Northern' guide about the poor English slogan and such. I'd highly recommend them to those not wishing to 'backpack' in the traditional sense (hostels, self-arranging tours and transport) and get a great value for the buck!

Anjali