Terms & Conditions

Friends Travel Vietnam & Biking Around Vietnam Commitment

Our commitment to you is to provide you with a travel experience in Vietnam that is without comparison. For us to do this we need to have a clear set of policies and terms that explains how we deal with certain situations. What is the procedure if my flight is delayed? What happens if I cancel my booking? What if inclement weather affects my tour? You’ll find the answer to all these questions in our terms and policies, as well as an in depth explanation in our FAQs.

Please feel free to read through them and don’t hesitate to contact us with any and all queries!

Terms & Booking Conditions Friends Travel Vietnam V.2.23.2020/Sep

For your own guidance, please carefully read and be sure that you fully understand the BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS as stated below before booking with us. In this booking form, the word ‘Company’, ‘We’ and ‘Us’ refers to bookings made under Friends Travel Vietnam and Biking Around Vietnam Company, Easy-Riders.com, VietnamRondreizen.nl, RealHanoiBicyclEexperience.com en BookHalongBay.com, al brands working under Friends Travel Limited Company. ‘Customer’ and ‘Client’ means you, the person who agrees to buy/book the tour and/or any person on whose behalf you agree to purchase the tour and who is listed on the service ticket. The word “Tour” refers to the service being booked by the Customer. This service can be a tour, transportation, visa, accommodations or other services organized by us.  These terms of use apply to all our products & services which are available to purchase online, by email, booked at our booking office, by telephone, by Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger or Facebook Page or our LiveChat on our website or other communication forms. By browsing and using our website or making a reservation you acknowledge and agree to have read carefully, understood and agreed to our terms of use set out as below.

Please note that: Friends Travel Limited Company will be happy to clarify any questions you may have.

1. Your booking with Friends Travel Vietnam 

Your contract is with Friends Travel Limited Company operating under the brand Friends Travel Vietnam, under Business License: 0105925933 | International Tour Operator License: 01-646/2014/TCDL-GP LHQT or Biking Around Vietnam Company License 01C8028723

Company details are as follow:

Friends Travel Vietnam 

Address: 15 Ly Nam De street 

District: Hoan Kiem [Old Quarter] 

City: Hanoi, Vietnam 

Daily Openings Hours: 8:00AM - 6:00PM (GMT+7h)

Customer Hotline - WhatsApp – Mobile (24/7):

+84904329289 (EN/NL)

Email: sidney@friendstravelvietnam.com

1.1. Ground Arrangements:

We have try to made it clear on our  website and other platforms that delays and changes to methods of transport might reasonable happen throughout the region we operate in and that they can run below operational standards that would be regarded as normal in much of the developed world. We cannot accept any claim for indirect or consequential loss arising from the failure of transport (such as train, car, boat and plane) suppliers to conform either to timetables supplied by us or to their own timetables. We cannot accept any claim for shock, loss, distress, whether mental or financial, arising from deviations from operational standards by all kind of 3rd party suppliers whose services form part of our itineraries (whether original or amended). Please note that the times of road and rail departures and other services are estimates only. We always try to ensure a current departure and travel times. Various standards of preparation and certain levels of fitness are required for many of our more adventurous itineraries - it is each individual participant’s responsibility to assess their own suitability and to prepare themselves to a suitable level for any of our itineraries. We are unable to refund any money in respect of services from which you withdraw after arrival. With reasonable notice, alternative versions of most of our activities can be organized for our customers and we will endeavor to assist in all reasonable instances. If you are in any doubt about your health, whether you should travel on any of our itineraries, you should consult your medical adviser and us.

2. Confirmed & accepted booking

All bookings are accepted on a request only basis and are based on the quoted prices mentioned on our  “Service Ticket” under a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit with a minimum of 25% of the total sum or mentioned differently agreed with our travel consultant via email only - it is clients responsibility to check these details carefully and advise us of any errors immediately. All quoted or stated prices will be convert in VND local currency as mentioned in your Service Ticket.

In certain circumstances there can be a charge for amending any errors after your approval and received tour payment.

Service ticket of a completed booking does not imply availability of any holiday. Whilst your deposit secures your reservation with us, it does not guarantee the availability of any hotels or land/water tour services. Your holiday cost can change due to external influences, out of our control, such as hotel availability, exchange rates, fuel surcharges and airlines changing or cancelling services.

Final payment are only guaranteed the total tour price once all services have been confirmed and in the case of flights, all flight tickets have been issued. If final payment received via our travel outlet, digital platforms or websites agreed are subject under our terms & conditions. Bookings made directly via our digital platforms or websites agreed are subject under our terms & conditions.

2.1 Payments 

2.1.1 Deposit to confirm a booking:

Once you have agreed the service ticket and the price, and received your instruction how to proceed, we will ask you to settle a minimum 25% deposit of the total amount. Upon receipt of your deposit you agree automatically our terms & conditions, we will make firm bookings and confirm a service ticket to you.

1. In some cases, the deposit percentage will be altered and stated in the service ticket for your approval. The changes to the percentage amount are flexible and based on departure date and cancellation policies of third party service providers.

2. Bookings purchased yourself online via our website(s) or one of our other platform(s) or 3rd party partner are subject under our terms & conditions.

Note

1. Full payment are required for all tour prices under US$1000 to settle on the time of confirmation.

2. Full payment are required for all flights, train tickets, visa approval letters, airport fast track service and hotel reservations in order to issue pre-paid vouchers for your services.

3. We reserves the right to increase the deposit to a full payment as needed, especially bookings of luxury cruises, hotels or service or others.

2.1.2 Final payment

Full payments of the balance must be settled by you no later than 30 days before departure for your tour. It is clients responsibility to ensure that all payment deadlines are met. We might not send out any reminders.

1. Full payment deadlines are set to protect your booking as airlines, hotels, transport-and cruise operators are within their rights to raise prices and in some instances cancel bookings.

2. All bookings made in the timeline 30 days before departure are subject to pay in full under our terms & conditions

3. All final payment received via our travel outlet, digital platforms or websites agreed are subject under our terms & conditions. 

4. If the balance due date is not met, your travel arrangements may be canceled, and you may forfeit your deposit. It is therefore to your advantage to finalize payment on the set deadlines.

5. After Full payment, client receives at all time a service ticket as a booking confirmation within 24hrs. Otherwise, the customer is obliged to consult the us. This service ticket is final, please read it carefully and contact us within 48hrs if anything is not right as discussed.

Note

1. We use a fixed exchange rate on the date at the time of our bookings from USD x local currency VND, this is non changeable regarding any influence currency differences on the world market.

2. Your holiday cost can change due to external influences, out of our control. We will pay these possible costs up to 25% of the booked tour price after the final payment. For an increase of the total cost with more than 25% of the total tour price the customer will be responsible for the remaining amount. However, this is an exceptional situation.

2.1.3 Last minute payment

When client agree to book a last-minute tour(s), package(s) or service what content a departure within 30 days via travel outlet or our website(s) or one of our other platform(s) or 3rd party partner are subject under our terms & conditions. Then the entire payment must be paid in full directly or agreed differently by email.

Note

1. It is client’s responsibility at all time to settle full payment as agreed or differently agreed by email, regardless of weekends and holidays.

2. We reserve the right to cancel the tour if tour payment did not happen.

3. Deposits are non-refundable.

2.2 How to pay

Bank transfer, Credit Cards & PayPal

Friends Travel Limited Company accept payments by bank transfer and PayPal in consultation. If you prefer to pay by bank transfer, contact us. 

Note

1. Friends Travel Limited Company must receive the net amount regardless anyway of wire transferring by client. 

2. For paying by bank transfer we charge a 25 $USD additional admin costs per transaction.

3. Client will be held responsible during this process and will be charged for all additional incurred costs. 

4. We can never hold responsible for any different in currency exchanges, fees or cost occur applied by your bank or net amount we receive on our bank account. 

Credit card Payments

We accept payment by credit cards online & in our travel outlet(s) via POS. For our POS & online secured payments platforms, major cards including Visa, Master Card, American Express, and JCB Card are accepted. Please note that payment by credit cards will incur 3% administrative fee, we only accept local currency.

There are three payment options by credit card:

1. Email, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger

Client will receive a payment link via email from our payment provider to settle by credit card via OnePay.

Note: This payment request link to settle by credit card can be sent by Friends Travel Limited Company or Biking Around Vietnam Company.

2. Website

Use the payment link in our website and follow further instructions.

3. At the office

Pay at the office through our POS system by credit card. We do not under any circumstances accept payments made by a third party. We accept cash payments in local currency only. For all credit card payments, we receive, you will be required by Vietnamese LAW to show your passport a scan will be made for administrative purposes. 

2.3 Your contract

Bookings are only valid for the dates and routings services specified by us and as listed on your service ticket agree by client.

A contract will exist as soon as deposit or payment is confirmation is issued by the contract principal, either via travel outlet or our website(s) or one of our other platform(s) or 3rd party partner are subject under our terms & conditions.

Any flight contract is between you and the airline – we acting as an agent on behalf of these airlines. Friends Travel Limited Company offers only non-changeable and non-refundable flight tickets, unless agreed different. Whilst we have no intention of making alterations or cancelling any travel arrangements made for clients, we reserve the right to substitute alternative transport, tour, cruise or accommodation to ensure the completion of any itinerary or in the best interest of all our guests’ safety and wellbeing, even when we are not able to communicate to inform you. In the unlikely event that there are changes made to your travel arrangements both before or during your journey, we will attempt and try to inform you by email or whatsapp as soon as possible. 

Please note that we are not obliged to do this, nor are we obliged to provide compensation if travel arrangements are changed. If your booking is canceled, we first try to arrange another alternative in the same service level. If this is not possible we will do our utmost to ensure you receive a full and prompt refund.

We reserve the right to decline any booking.

3. Changing or cancelling your booking

3.1 Changing your booking

If you wish to alter your booking arrangements, after payment confirmation has been issued we will endeavor to assist in making these changes to your booking. We need to charge US$5 per person extra for changing per service involved, we will inform you if any cancelation costs need to apply. If you notify us less than 30 days prior to the proposed departure date, we have right to refuse and do not refund deposit amount. You should note that it is not always possible to make certain requested amendments as they are part of availability request, we really try to assist making alterations on your request.  In addition to any charge levied by Friends Travel Limited Company, the customer will be liable for any additional costs incurred by us or levied by a supplier. Before we are making alterations on your booking on your request, we require a full upfront payment.

Note: A onetime fee is applicable of US30$ administration costs must be paid by default in case of change your booking. 

3.2 Cancelling your booking

Requests to cancel a booking must be made in writing by client or emailed directly from the client’s own email account, email stamp date & time is applicable for receiving. Please note that our cancellation conditions as specified are applicable on your booking. Friends Travel Limited Company reserves the right to apply additional cost during the complexity of the booking to any refunds due.

3.3 Cancellation Charges:

The following policies shall apply to all kind of service cancellations if you cancel your tour at a later stage after finalizing your booking with us:

1. above 60 days, 100% refund of total tour price, deposit is fixed non-refundable

2. 60-30 days 75% refund of total tour price, deposit is fixed non-refundable

3. 29-15 days 50% refund of total tour price, deposit is fixed non-refundable

4. 14 days or less, no refund

5. No show/no written notice, no refund

The above penalties apply when the entire booking or partially service is cancelled and apply to all services including tour, transportation and accommodation arrangements. You'd rather not think about all of the things that might go wrong on your trip, but these things can and do happen so therefor we strongly recommend to read our cancelation travel insurance. Please see chapter 11 ‘Travel insurance Friends Travel Vietnam’ for more information.

Note

1. All deposits are fixed, non-refundable with a minimum of 25% of the total sum or agreed different.

2. US30$ applicable administration fee must be paid by default in case of cancellation on the total booking. 

3. Numerous hotels in Vietnam insist on upfront deposits or full payment at the time of booking to secure rooms. These deposits or full payments are non-negotiable and are non-refundable if a booking is cancelled.

Cancellation of luxury cruise tours, hotels or resort might charge 100% of total cost.

4. Please note that in many cases domestic and international flights used within your itinerary often have to be issued well in advance of your departure. These are 100% non-refundable and will be in additional to the above losses.

5. Some hotels and cruises do not operate under these conditions and have more restrictive cancellation conditions especially during high season. We have to pass these charges on to the client where relevant.

6. Special conditions: Depending on airlines and supplier’s cancellation policies, the above conditions may be modified without any notification.

7. If the cancellation is not for the entire booking (e.g. just one-party member) those cancelling may be liable for any single occupancy costs applied to the other members of the original booking.

8. Any refund does not include visas, visa processing fees, booking fees, administration fees or credit card fees, currency differences, travel insurance or personal expenses which shall be 100% forfeit in all cases.

9. Clients will be advised to must have a suitable travel insurance cover in order to provide cover for these charges in the event of cancellation or delay. We cannot be held responsible for any expenses arising from an unscheduled departure from any itinerary. We cannot be held responsible for any force majeure as written in chapter 9.

10. No refund will be made for unused travel services or any portion thereof, nor is the price or value of unused travel services exchangeable for alternative arrangements. 11. All air tickets are non-refundable, valid only for the flight and/or dates purchased and cannot be exchanged or transferred.

3.3A Option to amend cancelled booking

It’s possible you request to cancel your booking and amend your booking to depart to future date. As this is a quite complex situation to cancel and to amend your booking to an open date, your travel advisor will help you to recover the loss of the total booking. We cannot promise we are able to succeed as every booking has his own conditions. But experiences learned we might move the booking to by not canceling to amend with an extra cost between 10% to 25%.

4. Refund procedure

Refund procedures for a received complaint about your tour/trip/accommodations or services will not take longer than 3 to 10 working days to final result. Approved refunds can be settled directly at our office in Hanoi by cash only.

If the refund has been approved, refund can only take place through PayPal or by cash at our office. 

Note

Refund by PayPal may incur additional costs such as currency and transactions fees, these costs are allocated to the customer. 

1. Refund by credit cards via POS is not possible

2. Refund by bank transfer is only possible if the payment has also been made by bank transfer on the same bank account

3. Refund via website www.friendstravelvietnam.com is possible if the booking is booked directly via the website and only for amount that was booked via the website.

Refunds for bank transfers, currency differences, admin fees, booking cost, credit card cost are non-refundable. 

Trip notes

Please note, for each booked tour we inform the customer about important things you need to know for your upcoming trip. We do this so that you are well prepared during the booked tour. We use an Travel app which you can freely & easily download as a tool so that you can follow your journey from start till finish.

You will have free access to your webbased browser version of your personal “Digital itinerary’ via internet. Here we carefully mentioned all details and essentials needed for your upcoming trip, also departing & arrival times and pickup locations.

Note:  Our “service ticket” is always final as a booking is confirmed. Our travel app is only a tool to visualize your trip in details.

5. Customers with Special Needs

It shall be the clients responsibility to disclose to us, and prior to booking, any physical or mental conditions of a member of their party which may be relevant. We reserve the right to decline to provide the Tour for a person where, in our opinion, that Tour would be inconsistent with the special needs of that person. No liability shall be attached to us for the provision of an unsuitable Tour, or for any person where that person special needs have not been disclosed at the time of booking.

6. Special Requests

Special Requests (e.g. ground floor accommodation etc.) shall be communicated by the Customer in writing to the us at the time of making the booking. We shall use reasonable endeavors to fulfil such requests. However, not all special requests cannot be guaranteed and do not form part of the Contract. No liability shall attach to us for failure to comply with a special request.

In order to take care of your special food request we would like you to inform us by email in at least 36 hours advance at your booking

If you are vegetarian, vegan or have food allergies or do not eat seafood or others we can cater to you in general. If you have very specific dietary needs, please discuss this at the time of booking, if we can’t cater you will be responsible to care about your own brought meals.

Note: Standard “Special Food Requests” cannot be processed within 1 day of departure.

7. Additional travel essentials

7.1 Travel Insurance

We strongly recommends all tour participants purchase a complete travel insurance including: medical, baggage and supplier default insurance to protect their travel plans.

Please read section: (11. Travel insurance Friends Travel)

7.2 Health

Please check the health and medical requirements for the destinations you are visiting with your medical adviser and arrange any vaccinations and medical certificates prior to your departure.

7.3 Visa and Passport

The responsibility for obtaining and carrying correct visas, passports and other travel documents remains with the client. Passports should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your intended departure from Vietnam and hold sufficient (at least 3 pages) for any visas, entry and exit stamps.

Visa and health requirements frequently change, and it is advisable to recheck all requirements, close to your departure. It is your responsibility to ensure that you satisfy all applicable requirements in respect of passport, visa and health matters. We cannot be held liable if you fail to ensure this.

For registration purpose obligated by LAW we are obligated to photocopy your passport & visa documents. in case of refusal to cooperate, access to the tour can be denied and any costs are not reimbursed.

8. Liability

We cannot be responsible for the safety and well-being of clients or their belongings. Whilst we shall provide all reasonable help and assistance it is imperative that you take out adequate travel insurance. If the customer destroys something or caused damage during a booked tour the incurred costs are for the customer self. During some tours the customer is obligated to sign separate liability contracts stating that we cannot be held responsible for any harm. In case of refusal to sign, access to the tour can be denied and any costs are not reimbursed.

9. Force Majeure

At any time Friends Travel Limited Company may cancel, suspend, alter or withdraw a booking in the event or 'Force Majeure', in which case the client will be not refunded money received by Friends Travel Limited Company. Friends Travel Limited Company cannot accept any responsibility or pay any compensation for any loss, delay, cancellation or alteration of travel arrangements caused by circumstances that amount to 'Force Majeure'. This may include war or threat of war, outbreak or threat of diseases or viruses, denial of border entry for any undocumented reasons, industrial disputes, fire, extreme and adverse weather conditions, natural disaster, riots/civil strife, terrorist activity, decisions relating to foreign nationals made by the elected or de facto leaders of such areas; and such other circumstances beyond Friends Travel Vietnam’s reasonable control. In such circumstances we will do all possible to provide alternative necessary travel arrangements to ensure the safe passage for our clients. Any costs incurred are in addition to the original cost of the existing tour and it may be required for them to be paid in advance. We strongly recommend taking our travel insurance together with the booked tour. For comprehensive information about what this insurance covers please check chapter 11 Travel insurance Friends Travel.

10. Complaint

If you experience any problem during your traveling with us, you must immediately inform us by our customer hotline which is listed above. This hotline is 24/7 available. There is always a way to report the complaint and therefor it must be happening directly so that we are able to assist or to so solve the occurred problem immediately. If you are not satisfied with the solution offered at first, a comprehensive complaint can be sent to our email: sidney@friendstravelvietnam.com. We are only able to handle complaints or refund claims once received by email. The complaint will be handled with care and will be reviewed in some situations we need more time to investigate and your assistance. However, we try to response quickly in between 1 to 3 working days. The total result of your complaint might not take longer then 30 days. Clients will be responsible to show evidence/ as photo and reporting in detail etc. required to resolve the complaint. 

11.Travel insurance Friends Travel Vietnam

Friends Travel Limited Company offers a compressive “travel insurance” options where clients are able to cancel the tour without any explanation. During trip if we need to cancel the tour due any force majeure then client will receive the paid amount back on their trip.

Note: Insurance is only valid during the purchasing process to add the additional insurance option before finalizing your booking process. Balance due + insurance fees of tour payments needs to be fully paid at all time, at least 30 days before departure time or mentioned differently via email or mentioned differently direct during the online booking process on our platforms. Insurance refunds will be settled in between 30 days after supposed travel date!

The following policies shall apply at the conclusion of the insurance:

Travel insurance Package 01

The customer can cancel the tour anytime, without any reason at the latest 24hrs before the first departure time of the started tour or service. After 24hrs cancelation is excluded and obligated under the normal contract terms & conditions. 

Pay 3% of the total tour sum and the customer will get a 85% refunded on the total tour price including deposit booked with us.

Travel insurance Package 02

The customer can cancel the tour anytime, without any reason at the latest 24hrs before the first departure time of the started tour or service. After 24hrs cancelation is excluded. After 24hrs cancelation is excluded and obligated under the normal contract terms & conditions. 

Pay 5% of the total tour sum and the customer will get a 95% refunded on the total tour price including deposit booked with us.

Travel insurance Package 03

The customer can cancel the tour anytime, without any reason.

Pay 8% of the total tour sum and the customer will get a 100% refunded on the total tour price including deposit booked with us.