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All 66 questions from across the site, grouped by topic. Each group links to the page it came from, where the answer sits in full context.

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Indochina Luxury Tours

Do you only plan honeymoons?

No. The same routes work for anniversaries and milestone birthdays, for a couple or a small group of friends. The common thread is an occasion, a slow pace and a private set-up.

Which month is safest for a beach honeymoon?

It depends on the coast. Phu Quoc is driest from December to March, the Da Nang and Hoi An coast is settled from March to August, and Halong Bay is at its clearest in April and May. The beach calendar page has every month.

Why are there no prices on the tour pages?

Because a five-star city hotel and a private pool villa on an island can differ by several times for the same route. We quote the trip after you send dates and hotel level, and the quote lists every item separately.

Can you keep the trip a surprise for my partner?

Yes, as far as the planning goes. We write only to the address you give us, and we ask before copying anyone else in. Passport details for flights and hotels are still needed before travel.

Read in full: Indochina Luxury Tours.

Tours

Are these group tours?

No. Every route is private: your own car, guide and, where there is one, boat. A group of friends travels together, but never with strangers.

Can we change the order of the stops?

Yes, within reason. We keep the beach at the end, because ending in a city means your last memory is traffic and an early flight.

What is the shortest trip you plan?

Usually ten days. Below that the culture-and-beach split stops working, and we would rather suggest one place done slowly.

Do the routes run all year?

They can, but each has months when one end carries weather risk. The table on this page shows the months that suit each route without that risk.

Read in full: Tours.

Honeymoon 14 days

Is one night on the boat enough?

For a honeymoon with a beach week after it, yes. One night gives you the sunset, the morning and a kayak on the lagoons. A second night mostly repeats the first, and costs a beach day.

What happens if the boat cannot sail?

When the port authority stops sailings for a storm, no boat goes out. We move you to a hotel on the coast or back to Hanoi, and the boat night is refunded or rebooked according to the boat's own terms, which we show you before booking.

Can we see the Hoi An full-moon evening?

Only if your dates include the 14th day of the lunar month. We check this when we quote and, if you are flexible by a day or two, shift the Hoi An nights to include it.

Can friends join us for part of the trip?

Yes. Some couples meet friends on Phu Quoc for the last days. We quote the shared part separately so everyone pays their own share.

Read in full: Honeymoon 14 days.

Anniversary 10 days

Hue or Da Nang airport — which is better to fly into?

If your international connection reaches Hue easily, fly in there and out of Da Nang; you avoid driving back over the pass. If not, fly into Da Nang and drive north on day one.

Is the Hai Van Pass safe in a car?

It is a paved mountain road with traffic, driven every day by private cars. In heavy rain or low cloud we skip the stops on the summit or use the tunnel route instead.

Can the resort put on a dinner on the beach?

Some resorts on this coast do, some only on their terrace, and some only on certain nights. We name the resort and confirm what it allows before you book.

Is this route good in October?

No. October is the wettest month on this coast, with average rainfall around 650 mm in Da Nang. We would suggest the Angkor and southern islands route instead.

Read in full: Anniversary 10 days.

Angkor & islands 12 days

Is sunrise at Angkor Wat crowded?

Yes, at the main pond it usually is. Your guide takes you to the side of the pond, and on the second morning we can go to a smaller temple instead. The park opens at 5:00.

Do we need visas for both countries?

Usually, depending on your passport. Both countries run official e-visa portals. We check your nationality when we quote and tell you which you need, but the application is yours to make.

What if the boat to Phu Quoc is cancelled?

If the sea is too rough for the crossing, the boats do not run. We hold a night in Ha Tien as a fallback and move the island days back by one.

Can we start in Vietnam and end at Angkor?

You can, but we do not recommend it for a celebration trip. Ending with 5:00 starts and hot temple days is harder than ending on a beach.

Laos & Vietnam 11 days

Is it respectful to watch the morning alms round?

Yes, from a distance and in silence. Your guide shows you where to stand. We do not arrange for visitors to give alms unless you specifically ask and the guide judges it appropriate.

How cold is Luang Prabang in December?

Nights are around 15°C and can drop to 10°C. Days are warm. A light jumper or jacket for the early mornings is enough.

Why does the beach change by month?

Because Phu Quoc begins its rainy season in April, when the central coast is settled. From November to March it is the reverse: the central coast is in its rainy months and Phu Quoc is dry. We end where the weather is on your side.

Can we do this route in reverse?

We do not recommend it. Ending in Luang Prabang means ending without a beach, and the flight connections from the beach back to Laos are less convenient.

Read in full: Laos & Vietnam 11 days.

Pricing

Why is your quote higher than another one we received?

Usually because of one of the items in the list on this page: a named hotel against a star rating, a small boat against a large one, private against shared. Send us the other quote and we will tell you, line by line, where the difference comes from — including where theirs is simply better value.

Can you work to a budget?

Yes. Tell us the total you want to stay under and we will build the route to fit it, usually by changing the beach accommodation first and the number of culture stops second.

Is the quote fixed once we accept?

Hotel and service prices are fixed once confirmed. Published third-party prices such as park tickets, and flight fares not yet ticketed, can change; we tell you which lines are in that category.

Do you charge for changing the route before booking?

No. Re-quoting before you book costs nothing, however many times it takes.

Read in full: Pricing.

How to book

How far ahead should we book?

For the Lunar New Year and the December holidays, as early as you can; resorts and boats fill first. For other months, a few months ahead is usually enough, though the specific villa or cabin you want may go sooner.

Do we pay anything before we decide?

No. Quotes and re-quotes are free. Payment starts only when you confirm.

Can we book flights through you?

Internal flights, yes — they are part of the quote. International flights we leave to you, and we plan the trip around their times.

What if our dates change after booking?

Tell us as soon as you know. What can be moved without cost depends on each hotel's and boat's own rules, which we show you before you confirm, together with our own terms on the written quotation.

Read in full: How to book.

Destinations

Which destination suits a honeymoon most?

That depends on the couple. For one night of scenery, the boat in Halong Bay. For evenings, Hoi An. For doing nothing for a week, Phu Quoc. For one sunrise you will both remember, Angkor Wat.

Can we see all four on one trip?

Only in a narrow window around February and March, and with three or four flights. For a celebration trip we suggest choosing three at most.

Is there a beach near Siem Reap?

No. Siem Reap is inland. Our Angkor route continues to the coast at Kep and then to Phu Quoc for the beach.

Read in full: Destinations.

Halong Bay

Lan Ha Bay or Ha Long Bay?

Same landscape, fewer boats in Lan Ha. For a celebration we prefer Lan Ha or Bai Tu Long. The trade-off is a slightly longer transfer to some Lan Ha departure points.

Can we have a private dinner on the boat?

On many boats, yes, on deck or in a quiet corner of the dining room. What is possible depends on the boat; we confirm it in writing before booking.

Will we be able to swim?

From April to October, usually yes, from the boat or a beach the boat stops at. In winter the water is around 21°C and most people do not.

What happens if a storm cancels our night?

When the authorities stop sailings, no boat goes out. We move you to a hotel ashore or back to Hanoi, and the boat night is refunded or rebooked under the boat's own terms, which you see before booking.

Read in full: Halong Bay.

Hoi An

When is the full-moon lantern night?

On the 14th day of each lunar month, in the evening. The calendar date moves every month; we check it against your dates when we quote.

Should we stay in the old town?

We usually suggest just outside it, on the river or among the rice fields. The centre is busy and noisy until late, and the old town is a short bicycle or taxi ride away.

Is Hoi An good for a beach holiday?

From March to August, yes, using the beaches a short drive away. From October to January, no; that is the rainy and storm season on this coast.

Can we see My Son as well?

Yes, as a morning trip, back by lunch. The Cham temple towers date from the 4th to the 13th centuries and are a UNESCO site.

Read in full: Hoi An.

Phu Quoc

Which side of Phu Quoc is better for a honeymoon?

For sunsets, the west coast. For a day of swimming in clear water, the small islands in the south, by boat. We usually stay on the west coast and visit the south by private boat.

Is Phu Quoc good in April?

Usable, but it is the hottest month and the rains are starting, with an average around 150 mm. March is safer. For April we often suggest ending on the central coast instead.

Can we arrange a dinner on the beach?

Some resorts allow it, some only on a terrace above the sand, some only on certain nights. We name the resort and confirm what it allows before you book.

Is Con Dao a better choice?

For a smaller, quieter island with a national park, possibly. Con Dao has fewer resorts and fewer flights; its window on our beach calendar is February to April, and it has strong winds in December and January.

Read in full: Phu Quoc.

Siem Reap

Is the Angkor Wat sunrise worth the crowds?

Once, yes. On a second morning we take you to a quieter temple instead. The park opens at 5:00.

Where can we buy Angkor passes?

From the park's official ticket office, online or at the counter. We include a three-day pass in the quote.

Can we have a private dinner near the temples?

We do not promise one inside the park. Hotel gardens in Siem Reap are the reliable option; we confirm the place in writing.

How far is the new airport?

About 50 km east of Siem Reap. Allow for a longer transfer than older guides describe.

Read in full: Siem Reap.

Beach calendar

Is there a month when every beach in Vietnam is good?

No. The north, the centre and the south have different rainy seasons. March and April come closest, with most coasts settled; September and October are the hardest months everywhere.

Where can we go to the beach in December?

Phu Quoc or the Cambodian coast at Kep. The central coast is in its rainy season and Con Dao has strong winds in December and January.

Where can we go to the beach in July?

The central coast around Da Nang and Hoi An, or Nha Trang. Phu Quoc and Halong Bay are in their stormy months.

How reliable are these marks?

They are built from averages and official seasonal descriptions, not forecasts. They tell you the odds for a month, not the weather on your dates. Check the forecast in the week before you travel.

Read in full: Beach calendar.

Celebration planning

Can you promise a dinner on the beach?

No, and we would be wary of anyone who does. It depends on the resort's rules and on the wind on the night. We confirm what the resort offers in writing, and agree the fallback in advance.

Is the celebration dinner included in the tour price?

Each of our routes includes one, listed as its own line in the quote with the venue and set-up. More can be added, each one quoted separately.

Can you arrange a proposal?

Yes, with the same honesty about what depends on the hotel. Tell us in the notes field and we will keep it out of anything sent to your partner.

Can a group of friends have a private dinner together?

Yes. For four to eight people the easiest setting is a villa terrace or a hotel garden. Beach dinners for a group depend even more on the resort's rules.

Read in full: Celebration planning.

About

Do you plan trips in Thailand or Myanmar?

No. Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos only.

Can we travel with our children?

Our trips are planned for adults marking an occasion. For a family trip we are not the right choice, and we will say so rather than adapt a route that was not built for it.

Do you have an office we can visit?

We work with travellers by email, from the first form to the final documents. Everything you need is sent in writing.

Who will meet us on arrival?

Your driver, and on culture days your guide. Their names are in the final documents we send before you travel.

Read in full: About.

Contact

Can we call you?

Not at the moment; this site works by form and email. If you would like a call, tick the box in the form and leave a number with the country code, and we will arrange a time by email.

Do we need exact dates to write?

No. A month, or even a season, is enough for a first route and quote.

Will you share our details with hotels?

Only what a booking needs, and only after you confirm. Before that, nothing leaves our inbox.

Read in full: Contact.

Start planning

Tell us the occasion, the month and who is coming

A month, the number of travellers and the occasion are enough to start. You get a draft route and an itemised quote, not a brochure.

Add more detail optional — the more you tell us, the closer the first draft lands
Budget, nationality and special requests can follow in conversation.

We reply by email to the address you give

Enquire