We have just returned from a 20 day tour of Vietnam organised by Ms Hien Ngo (Julie) from Travel Sense Asia. We had a really interesting, well organised trip and Julie made sure that we were looked after from arrival to departure, nothing was too much trouble and our enjoyment and safety was paramount. We had lunches included most days and went to good restaurants which served up some delicious Vietnamese food. The trips were very varied and our guides gave us all the information we required. Transportation around by car was faultless, drivers were very experienced which gave us confidence on such chaotic roads, and guides and drivers were always very punctual, polite and considerate. I highly recommend this company to anyone wanting to see Vietnam whilst feeling totally secure and able to sit back and enjoy the experience.

2/2013

My family had an adventure trip to view the magnificent moutains and to experience the beautiful ethnic minorities in north Vietnam. Kien helped arrange and look after the trip carefully thus we enjoyed an incredible adventure. Our guide was wonderful too, he told us much about the history and the nature of this country and also did his best to let us feel comfort while we were travaling in the inconvenient area. Without his effort we couldn't have this wonderful trip. Some of my friends are interested in this trip and hope to go with me on this September to view the golden yellow fields. Of course, I will ask Kien to arrange the trip for me again.

Anna0810 2/2013

We did a 16 day tour of Vietnam in December 2012 and had a wonderful time. We worked with David aka Kien and were so well taken care of. Kien worked with us to plan each detail of our trip. Our guides were excellent and we learned so much from them about the country, the history, the people and more. Kien checked on us at each new stop as we worked our way from Hanoi to HCM City. I have already recommended them to friends who are planning to travel in this area. A big thanks to Kien, Tam and Miss Who! :)

Leah Clancy V 15/2/2013

Above you will find the contacts of Julie (Hien Ngo) and her manager David (Kien Trung). they were great assisting us with our cruise in Halong Bay and our transportation to Ninh Binh and Hanoi. If you need they can also help you with other travel arrangement in other parts of Vietnam like Sapa or countries like Cambodia. Link: http://www.travelsense.asia/

We did the 3 days and 2 nights Indochina Cruise called Prince Junk. It is a relatively small boat with only 3/4 cabins and a very private feeling. We also have friends that have done the Dragon Pearl Cruise with more cabins but also very good. The room, food and staff are all very good. The water was very calm and protect so the boat barely moved at all. It is important to do the 2 nights cruise since with only one night you will not be able to cruise away from the crowds and will have a completely different experience. 

We also went directly from Halong Bay to Ninh Binh and stayed one night in the city. We did the Tam Coc cruise early in the morning before the tour groups and its a very beautiful scenario. There are also Pagodas and old temples in the city. We did a lovely short bicycle ride (2km) from Tam Coc "harbor" to a near by Pagoda that you should do. In the way you will pass several rice fields and see locals working in the fields. Ninh Binh does not have good options of accommodation but you should sleep in the city. Emeralda Ninh Binh looks very nice but its seams more distant but could be a good option if you are planning more days to explore the region.

Halong Bay and Sapa are two regions famous to be very sensible to the weather. So research well and choose the best timing. In Halong Bay the only problem is fog that will make visibility lower but will still allow for a good cruise. In Sapa the impact can be higher since heavy rains can spoil your experience.

Be very insistent with Julie and David to get you a good and safe driver!! the roads in Vietnam can be very tough. No rush! Drive safely. Always possible prefer planes and trains  besides driving. Next time we talk remind me to talk with you about crossing the streets walking in Hanoi or any city in Vietnam, it is an intense experience! Any doubts please let me know.

David is very knowledgeable about the region and besides helping you with the cruises he can clarify your doubts and give suggestions. 

Follow also the very useful link for the visa on arrival service: http://www.vietnamvisapro.com/

I'm almost sure that Peru will also need this visa. This is basically a letter that you need to have to get your visa on arrival in Vietnam. This is NOT the visa. Its a pre visa step. Yuo pay for this service and in 2 days they will send you the letter. Be careful to use the right dates of arrival to have the correct letter. Once you arrive in Vietnam airport you will deliver the letter and pay for the visa fee that its different to the letter that you paid before. Bring USD cash. I think for Vietnam you dont need photos but research it online. We brought plenty of photos with us. Different countries different sizes of photos.

HAVE FUN! 

Julie/David,

first of all THANK YOU very much for all the help and support with our trip. I wanted to send you an e-mail before but could not find the time since we are still traveling. We were all very happy with our cruise. Halong Bay was amazing and I cant imagine a better way to explore than with an Indochina Cruise. Our transportation to Ninh Binh also worked well. You did a great job accommodating all the needs of the 7 demanding Brazilians. Please pass our thank you to all the Indochina Cruise team.

Above you will find the contacts of our great friends Claudia and Jose from Peru. They are like family so take care of them please. They are finalizing their plans for a two months trip to Southeast Asia starting in the middle of March. Its their first time in the region and they will be traveling with Mateo their one year old baby. They are excited to visit Vietnam and we mention to them about our experience in Halong Bay. Besides Halong Bay, Sapa and Ninh Binh they are also considering Hoi An as a destination. Please help them with their planning, logistics and doubts.

You should expect other of our friends as future customers in the future

Thank you again!

Best Regards,

Carlos Coutinho

Jose/Claudia Blazil 13/1/2013

 During Dec 2012-Jan 2013 we, a group of five friends, spent three weeks traveling through Vietnam and Cambodia. After returning from the trip and having experienced the excellent organization of the trip, I strongly recommend using Travel Sense Asia to set up all the arrangements that you need in order to enjoy, and learn about, these two countries. I was in contact with Mr. Kien Trung (kien@travelsense.asia) who was very helpful, prompt and efficient in getting all the necessary arrangement (hotels, internal flights, transportation and guides) and in a reasonable price. During the three weeks we were in contact with Mr. Kien who made sure that we were O.K. and all our needs were met. To summarize, we had a great trip and much of its success was due to our decision to work through TSA.

David_edA 1/2013

 We were delighted by the planning and efficiency of Travel Sense Asia. David was our representative and handled all of our details--even when we changed them--quickly and with very good recommendations. David's hospitality made us feel that he was taking care of family members. He was thoughtful in his recommendations, the tour guides--especially in Hanoi were very knowledgeable, excellent communicators and creative. With a last minute request to by some original art, I was brought to the Museum of Fine Arts and a lovely artist's home to view pieces. The artist had recently sold to Hilary Clinton and Danny Devito (photos to evidence). David spent time with us on the first day in Hanoi to ensure that we had a sense of our surroundings and treated for coffee!! A wonderful experience. Travel Sense's arrangements took us to Ha Long Bay and Hoi An as well as our time in Hanoi. Go to Vietnam soon!

monalyle Boston, Massachusetts 30/01/2013

Our guide, Tam, took us to all the hot-spots and some "secret" places for pho and ca phe sua da. Kien took my family for our first ever sua da, and from that moment, I was hooked. I didn't believe him when he told me it was strong, drinking it much faster than most Vietnamese people as I am used to the "Western-style" of drinking coffee. 

aaronvonhagen Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 12/2012

 We did a private specialised tour departing from our hotel in Vietnam - Da Nang visiting Hue for two nights, Hoi An for one night, and then flew to Luang Prabang in Laos for three nights. Kien organised the tour, flights, most delish meals and accommodation and it was pretty much faultless. The guide in Vietnam was great but sometimes was a tiny bit hard to understand but our guide in Laos had perfect English. The hotels were all fantastic - great location, good bathrooms and clean crisp sheets. Actually they were great considering the price we paid. The meals they organised were always seven course set menus at a different spot that you would never think to choose and it was a great way to try all the different local Viet food. (Usually I waste lots of time choosing venues to eat at and it's sometimes stressful). They were very prompt with communication also. I would highly reccommend. We spent hardly any extra money while on this tour, was great! The sites we visited were all amazing. The cars we had were very nice, clean and comfortable and they always had bottled water on hand and cold wet wipes which I thought was a nice touch. We highly reccommend Travel Sense Asia - they took the stress out of our trip and really opened our eyes to everything.

aussiemiss25yes Aussie 1/2013

 Dear Kien,

Just back from our vacation. We had a great time and everything was very well arranged. All our guides were very helpful and knowledgeable. We will definitely use Travel Sense Asia again on future trips and recommend you to friends.

Thank you!

Best regards,

Birte and Hans.

Birte and Hans 11/2012

 I have just returned from a 17 day trip to Vietnam with my two sisters. We visited Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An and Siagon. Our accommodation and tours were arranged by Travel Sense Asia. I cannot speak highly enough of the service provided by our consultant Kien Trung. The quality of our accommodation, transport and tours were exceptional as was the price. From the time I contacted Kien via email from Australia to the last day of our trip, Kien was in constant contact with us to make sure all was ok and we were happy with our services. The three of us have done quite a bit of travel over the years and have never received such a quality and professional service.

The first day we arrived in Hanoi (11.30 pm) we were met at the airport by a driver, whilst in transit Kien contacted the driver and requested to talk to me and make sure we arrived safely and all was ok with the driver. He did this again on other legs of the tour. Kien met us at the hotel in Hanoi, took us out for coffee and even gave us a present!

Our Halong Bay 2 night cruise on the Dragon Pearl 1 was recommended by Kien and what an amazing experience that was. The cost was extremely reasonable and the quality of the accommodation, food and service was fantastic. I would highly recommend this trip. The price was inclusive of all meals and of a high standard as was the service. The second night included a candle light dinner in a cave which was the most beautiful and amazing experience.

The hotels, Golden Rice (Hanoi), Le Behlamy (Hoi An) and The Rex (Siagon) were great and prices provided by Travel Sense were cheaper that I could get online or directly with the hotel.

I will be returning to Vietnam in 2013 and will most certainly be using Travel Sense Asia as will many friends that I have recommended them to.

Jennifer Lepp

Jennifer Lepp

  My wife and I found TravelSense when we were looking for ways to visit Ha Long Bay. We found their prices to be excellent, and, far more important, the service we received was above and beyond! We ended up using them for advice and bookings throughout our self-guided trip from north to south. Throughout our trip Ms. Huyen Nguyen was unbelievably attentive. She drove around Hanoi to meet us and double-check that our tour guides or connections were taken care of properly. She phoned our hotels in Hue and other places, ahead of our arrival, to ensure that everything was taken care of. Throughout our trip she provided us with just the right amount of help -- while leaving us to make our own decisions. She was budget-conscious too. We've already recommended TravelSense Asia to other travellers.

Vancouver Canada October 2011

Hi, my name is Jennie I travel with a friend of mine in Sydney and we decided to go on a Asia trip to Thailand and Vietnam so we looked into trip advisor for tours in Vietnam and we figured out Travel Sense Asia and they were very nice and very promt in our question and in our email and then once we decided we made payment and we got to Vietnam. They were really on time to come pick us up at the airport and arranged all the itineraries in tour that we arranged earlier so in this time when we visited, we went to Sapa and also in Hanoi just the city tour and also gone Halong Bay and the experience has been quiet memorable and the hotel that we’ve been selected joining our tour has been very well and very clean and very friendly staves and the receptions are very helpful.  And also Travel Sense Asia has also arranged drivers that always on time and very friendly and helps us a lot with our luggage in so far

And the most memorable trip was probably for me would be Halong Bay it is what I expected in terms of Vietnam’s natural nature it was very peaceful, very nice and the tour itself was well organized. They has different activities in vow like kayaking and swimming and also there were 3 days 2 nights tour we had the special event when we get to have dinner at the cave and that was quiet spectacular and also the staves were so friendly and the food was fantastic so it was quiet enjoyable.

Well, I’ve already visited North but if I do visit Vietnam again I will join travel sense asia to arrange something at the South of Vietnam. That would be quiet interesting to see.

jennie sydney 08/2012

 I am Thulasi from Sydney and I was with my friend who works with me. We are planning to go to Thailand and Vietnam so we were looking for land tours in Trip advisor and there was a lot of good recommendation about the Travel Sense Asia (so) and we contacted to deal and the responses were like really good, they were very fast and like it gave us a lot of information so we decided to go with Travel Sense Asia.

We did the Sapa, Halong Bay and Hanoi and it was quiet good here.

 I quiet like the Sapa and as well as the Halong Bay. It’s very different. Sapa was more countryside with the beautiful landscape and very different tribes and villages and lots of markets so that it was different and Halong Bay it was very scenic, very peaceful and we went on the cruise  the with the Dragon’s Pearl too. The food was really nice, excellent and the highlight was the dinner in the cave and the tour was very nice very unique experience so both of them were really good here.

The hotel selected is in good standard. It’s clean and the staff was friendly. It was like a good choice of hotel.

What about Travel Sense Asia ’service?

The staff was friendly and they are on time and the guides were helpful and everyone is more polite give a lot of information. It meets the travel quiet easy and Vietnam is quiet hard if you are English speaking and a lot of local don’t speak English well so it’s easier to go on an organized tour.

Definitely, I really recommend the Travel Sense Asia the response is well and the guides are good and they are on time and from the time you land in they are post until you leave.  They look after you so I highly really recommend Travel Sense Asia.

Definitely if we go to Vietnam again we will definitely go with Travel Sense Asia. 

Thulasi sydney 08/2012

  One year ago my wife and I along with two other couples decided to take a break-away trip at the end of an Overseas Adventure Travels (OAT) trip to China and Tibet into Vietnam for 10 days so we husbands could revisit the country where we served in the military and for our wives to share this return experience. Travel Sense Asia was selected over another Hanoi travel agency due to its assurances of our being able to work cooperatively with them and to have final say on the itinerary.

It was a great experience with two overall minor exceptions. Our excellent local Saigon guide took a chance which worked out but was nevertheless stressful in that were it not for the skill of our driver we probably would have missed the flight to Danang in Central Vietnam owing to the guide thinking we had time for one last stop along the Mekcong Delta. Then in Hanoi we were not informed of how to avoid many corrupt taxi drivers who in almost a criminal manner enforce payment of grossly overcharged fares.

So now let's turn back to the planning of this trip and the outcome. After 12 months of back and forth emails with Mr.Nhat Nam of Travel Sense we endorsed an itinerary of going to Saigon, HoiAn and Hanoi with guides in Saigon and Hanoi but none in HoiAn where we stayed at a beach hotel. When with a guide we had understood authority of being able to alter the day's travels by stopping when we wanted to, change the pace of the day and even the direction of where we went. It could not have gone better with excellent hotels, a luxurious small ship overnight stay on Halong Bay, great sights, the best of food, two world class van drivers, terrific guides, photo opportunities, and none of this without Mr. Nhat Nam's help, cooperation and honesty. It was a wonderful trip.

Edeward H

Rescoure: tripadvisor

Edeward H tacoma

 Hi David

mas Malaysia