Why Vexplore Travel?
Please be advised that I do not work for, or am paid by V’EXPLORE Travel. I write this because this is my honest opinion.
Many people have asked me what tour company they should use. There are many companies in Vietnam. So many in fact, it can become a daunting task to find one. In the 19 years I have been traveling to Vietnam, I have used a number of different locally based tour companies. Why Local? Because you can get a much better deal than having your overseas tour company do it. Many overseas companies simply contract your group tour to a company located in Vietnam, and make a commission without doing much of the work or planning. There are many local tour companies that can be found on internet forums. Many of them have a reputation they wish to maintain, and specialize in a region where they will personally guide you. They can be a good choice but do a little research.
Some of them have a lot of cheerleading going on in internet forums when none should exist, others on the forums are agents that contract the work out to individual guides and make their profits from commissions. Again do some research on the tour company. Many of them simply just hire untested guides and leave you in their care without follow up. The best tour companies have very high standards and are meticulous to a customers needs. The old addage is so true..(What you pay is what you get)… especially in Vietnam. Caution is advised for those looking for the cheapest option. It is not fun having your guides take you to endless venues where they get a commissions or kick backs.
Here is where I would like to introduce you to the tour company I personally use for my own family and friends, They have become my very good friends and I stand behind them 100%.
V’EXPLORE TRAVEL CO., LTD
No. 33 street 01, Do Thanh Compound, Ward 4, Dist. 3, HCMC, Vietnam
Tel: +8 48 3 8 329 866 / 3 8 329 868 Fax: +848 3 8 329 867
Email: sales@vexploretravel.com or info@vexploretravel.com
They also have subsidiaries www.visitindochina.net and http://www.aodaigo.com/ are the only company that are partnered with my Central Highland Tours.
In the top picture:1st row, Mr. Long next is Mr. Fu (the owner of our land tour in Cambodia) then Mr. Thavin (the owner of our land tour in Laos) then Mr. Tung our operator in Ha Noi.2nd row, from the left hand of Mrs. Linh (Nghia’s wife) is Ms. Trang, next is Thanh then Quyen, Lien , Mrs. Tuyet (Our operator in Hue).
I suggest contacting my good friend Hau, just tell him you found him through me or the RipTide Homestay and he will give you his personal attention
Hau Nguyen (Mr.)
Sales Department.
Skype: nguyenthaihau1 hau@vexploretravel.com
Now let me tell you a bit about my friends both personally and professionally. I first was introduced to the owner Nghia and his general manager Hau in the winter of 2008. I had a group of 16 co-workers and friends that thought it a great opportunity to travel to Vietnam with
someone who knew the country. I had the destinations in mind, but did not want to use any of the companies from the past because of poor travel experiences. Two of them were big name companies that I see references to a lot of time in the travel forums. I did some research on the Trip Advisor forums and found an individual that had a positive experience with Vexplore Travel. Through him (now a good friend), I was introduced to V’EXPLORE. I sent a list of destinations, and a schedule that I wanted all of them to fit into. To my surprise, he replied very quickly with the first draught of an itinerary that was very close to what I had in mind. Aha!! I thought. If these people could come in with a decent price, it looked like I found the right company. Trying to organize a country wide trip on my own was exhausting and difficult to do. We went back and forth until the details were
worked out and it was time for a price. To my amazement, they came in not only lower than I had costed on doing it on my own…… but much lower. I had told them the star rating of the hotels I wanted, the places I wanted to go that were different from most tours. They seemed to have built almost the perfect trip. Hau and Nghia met our group at the airport and escorted up to our hotel. We did not see them again until the end of our trip, and we spent an evening of eating, drinking and fun before leaving. There were a few emergencies, and they were able to change on the fly. We even had one of our party pass away in Hanoi, and they came through with flying colors. I have now been on a number of tours with them and am currently planning another adventure for Feb of 2011.
It is now 2015 and I still use Vexplore Travel for all my travel needs. Nothing has changes except their services have expanded and we have become even closer.
Here are a few things that set them above other companies:
- A wave from Nghia
Vexplore Travel only use accredited and licensed guides.
All guides are personally interviewed and assessed for English ability.
Only new vehicles in good condition are used.
All trips are custom built for you at the budget level you wish.
They are able to get accommodation and transfer prices lower than you can yourself.
They assure that all of the meals included on your tour are in quality establishments that are safe to eat,
Vexplore Travel are the only company that can use my tour services.
If anything…. And I mean anything happens and you have to make changes to your itinerary, they can handle it. It happened to me.
Nghia and Hau are now very good friends and we spend time together going on adventures whenever we have the time to get together. I have met many of their staff and have been impressed by the honest, good nature, and their hard working spirit.
If you are planning a tour, Email them and have them custom build one to your tastes. I would not recommend them unless I was 100 percent satisfied. I also have a reputation to maintain.
In my next post, I will suggest an itinerary that will take a tourist to fantastic destinations mostly undiscovered by tourists. I might even be convinced to be a guide for such a tour.
V’Explore Travel is both a B2B (Biz to Biz) wholesaler and FIT tour provider (Free Independent Traveler)
Feel free to email me if you need any advice or clarification www.riptide.nhatrang@gmail.com
Hi Owee,
After reading your blog for a few weeks, I am very interested in travelling to Vietnam for two weeks in Sept/Oct this year to celebrate my wife’s 50th birthday. We would like to try and cover as much of the country as we can in the limited time available. We would like to see Hanoi and Halong bay in the north but probably more emphasise on the South and Central parts with a beach stay for a few days in the Central coast area. What do you recommend? All the Australian travel companies are not flexible enough!! Thanks again, Michael
Depend on your wishes. I will send you an email shortly
Hello Owee,
I have been reading your blog for a while now in anticipation of a business trip to Vietnam, which finally did come together a month or so ago and is now coming up at the end of May. I was also able to arrange to have my wife join me in Hanoi, so we ill then have until June 18 to travel around Vietnam, our first time there. I have been amazed at the wealth of knowledge and genuinely honest advice you share in your blog!
On your recommendation, after doing quite a bit of research and putting things down on an itinerary, I checked in with your friends at V’explore Travel, suggested my interest in the Vietnam in Depth Tour, which was close to what I had been already thinking but suggested some changes (more time in Hue and Hoi An and including trip to caves at Phong Na). I got a reply back the very next day (this morning) from Mrs. Huynh with an adjusted itinerary for us to review! Impressive!
This will be our first time using a tour company to travel, but our first time in Vietnam (and not a Vietnamese speaker) seemed to warrant this approach, and it seems like V’Explore is a great choice. Can I send you by email a copy of the itinerary I am currently looking at with V’Explore and see if there are any other tweaks you might suggest, or things you would suggest I do not miss that may not be already identified in the itinerary?
Thanks for all your work on the blog and all the great advice you provide to travelers to Vietnam!
Regards,
Dave
Thanks for the compliment. I have responded to you by email. I guarantee you will have the best time with V’Explore…… hopefully my services will be part of your tour so we can meet.
Hello Owee, we are 5 adults planning on coming to Vietnam in March for 3 weeks. Can you recommend a Tour company to put a package together for us.
Would like to see Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta and a 2 night cruise on Halong Bay. We are quite flexible with other sights and places.
Cheers Dave
Hmmmm. You left this comment on the page where I recommend them as the best. V’Explore travel of course
We are a family of 4 , two teen boys (15& 17). We have 2 weeks and want to see the southern part of Vietnam (beaches snorkeling, Mekong delta, and want to see Sieam Reap in Cambodia. We want off the beaten path adventure and culture. I would love to work with you on this. Thank you
Hello Adams family. I will send you an email
Hi Owee,
I live in England and have the fortune to make friend with a Vietnamese.He introduces me to Vietnamese food and I am afraid I am addicted to it now.His family also tells me how beautiful Vietnam is so I really like to visit the place now.I much prefer nature and natural sceneries to buildings eg temples,churches,museums etc.But top of my priority is the food,street food in particular.I was researching and come across the tour ‘Real Food Adventure’ by Intrepid which is nearest to what I am looking for.Then I came across your site here.Unfortunately,unlike most of the people above who asked for your advice,I am traveling alone.Would Vexplore or you yourself work out an itinerary for me?I am planning to go during next March/April.The actual time and duration is not that critical for me because I am a retired pensioner.Your advice and help will be very much appreciated.
Regards,
Gene.
Yes I can help. As a solo traveler a private tour through a company might exeed your budget, but it is still inexpensive by our standards. I am all about real Vietnsm and if it is the street food you want to enjoy…… I can truley lead you to those places. Tour companis are required by law to take foreigners to specific places that meet standards set by the government…… I dislike that and often try to avoid those places. Even though V Explore is o ne of the best companies to follow your wishes, they too are bound by the sane rules. I am bound by no rules……. You want an adventure in foid…….. I will make that happen. I will send you my personal email in case you want further informatoin………. By the way……… V Explore actually is the supplier of tours to companies such as Intripid so you would save money by cutting out the middle man.
Hi Owe,
My family and I are planning a trip to Vietnam February 2014. We would like to spend approximately 3 weeks in total but also like to visit our cousin in Thailand as well. Can you please recommend an itinerary that would allow us to cover the best there is to see of Vietnam and Thailand. Thank you.
Sure I can help. I am on tour now in the highlands and will respond later. Perhaps email me at riptide.nhatrang@gmail.com
Thank you Owee, I will email you at the other address and wait for your reply.
Hi owee,
just stumbled on your blog, great work, if only i found it earlier i would gsve hooked atvyour hotel! I’m heading to nha trang today from Saigon with two teenage kids and looking for a snorkelling tour around the islands, definitely not on a party boat! Do you know anyone that focuses on snorkelling rather than partying on the boat? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks
Yes. Head over to my friends that own raftingpro vietnam or Jungle travel and have them book The Amazing Snorkel Tour for you.
Thanks owee, will look into that. Cheers.
Hi, group of 3 adults and 3 older teenagers coming to Nha Trang Vin Pearl Resort on 19th June for 4 nights. Would like to do a 1 day motorbike tour from Nha Trang, just out into the local country side and also maybe Ba Ho Pools. Is that possible and how much roughly would it cost.
Kind Regards,
Bernadette Stevenson
I will email you directly.
a very interesting tour.
Hi Owee, I am planning a trip and would like to know of companies that do a reasonably priced Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh boat trip, and how many nights does this trip normally take? Also for travelling up the coast from Ho Chi Minh are buses or trains faster and cheaper/better in your opinion?