A responsible tourist respects local people, their culture, economy and the environment. The attitude and choices they make contribute in a positive way to the local community. You can read more about Responsible Tourism here.

You can bring clothing, first-aid items, stationery and children’s books on your tour. We can guide you in how to distribute these yourself or you can pass them onto us to give to one of our project groups.

YESD is passionate about Vietnam and we have spent the time to carefully craft our tours so that you will have an authentic, responsible and fun experience! We also love to create custom tours for those visitors that want some flexibility and may have their own ideas on where they want to visit and what activities they want to participate in.YESD are not only a travel company, but also have their own community development programs and care about the communities they visit. If you go on a YESD tour you will be happy to know that most of your tour costs are going directly to the local communities that you visit, so you are making a powerful contribution to the lives of the people you visit!

YESD have carefully curated specific tours you can choose from, or we are very happy to create a customised itinerary according to your needs. If you’d like to book one of our pre-planned tours simply click on the tour you like and click on the book tour button. From here fill in your details and we’ll then contact you with more information and to confirm your booking.If you’d like a custom tour, click on the custom tour link on our tours page, or you can contact us directly via email at info@yesd.org. We’ll then discuss with you via email, phone or skype how you’d like your holiday to look and organise an itinerary specific to your needs. We love creating custom tours, so don’t be afraid to ask!

Yes! We are happy to talk to you about what you’d like from a holiday in north Vietnam and structure an itinerary accordingly. We are also patient and want you to be happy, so feel free to chat to us and take time to consider your options. Take a look at our current tours for inspiration and if you have any other location/activity ideas please let us know.

YESD have created itineraries that cover a variety of activities and needs. We have a particular love for Ha Giang, so the Ha Giang Easy Rider and Ha Giang Trekker are great options. The multi-city tours are perfect for those wanting to cover a few must-see locations and relax knowing that YESD will have everything organised for them. We also highly recommend the Nam DInh Explorer. The area is less known to tourists visiting Vietnam, but our tour includes many different types of fun activities and is a great place to take photos. Whatever you decide, we are sure you’ll have a fantastic time!

We currently dedicate our attention to northern Vietnam, so at this stage we don’t offer tours in central or south Vietnam. If you’d like some advice about travelling further south feel free to ask us!

Some travellers will need a visa in advance, and others will not. Generally, if you are staying for over 15 days in Vietnam you will need a visa in advance. An e-visa program has recently been introduced and is available to citizens of 40 countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the USA. You can see if you are eligible at http://immigration.gov.vn. Because of the variety in visa types and differences depending on country, we recommend if you are still unsure after consulting the Vietnam immigration page above to email us at info@yesd.org.

As you travel through Vietnam you’ll likely want to visit some pagodas and temples. It is expected that you wear below-the-knee skirts or trousers when you enter these sacred places so make sure you include these in your packing. Although it gets quite hot in Vietnam, people usually dress conservatively day-to-day, so take this into consideration when choosing what clothes to bring.No doubt you’ll be doing a lot of walking, and maybe even joining us on a trekking adventure, so bring some appropriate footwear. A pair of thongs/flip-flops is also a must and handy for a variety of occasions.Here are some more items you should pack.

• Travel adapters
• A lightweight waterproof jacket
• Insect repellent
• Diarrhoea medication
• Sunscreen
• Any toiletries that you’d normally take on a weekend away

Here are some items you may like to consider packing.

• Torch
• Quick-dry towel
• A jumper (depending on the region and time of year you are visiting)
• Ear plugs/sleeping mask
• Books, stationary and other appropriate items to give to students and people in need. Of course, many of these items will be available in-country for you to purchase if you wish.

There are lots of packing tips online. If you haven’t gone on holiday in south-east Asia before and aren’t sure what to bring, there are many travel bloggers posting their must-bring items (and their packing techniques) specifically for Vietnam.When you book a tour with YESD we’ll provide you with some extra packing information relevant the tour you choose.

When you arrive in Vietnam you’ll soon see that there are clothing and shoe shops everywhere in the cities! Just be aware that finding the right size can sometimes be an issue. Better to be safe than sorry when packing, but if you are in the smaller size range you’ll have no problem. Tourists often like to buy clothes and other items while they are in Vietnam, so leaving some room in your bag is a good idea.

The three international airports in Vietnam are location in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City, in the north, centre and south of the country respectively. Vietnam shares its border with Laos, Cambodia and China. There are several border entries and some travellers may take a bus into Vietnam. Just beware of the visa situation to make sure you don’t have any trouble entering the country. Take a look at the ‘Before You Travel’ section above for visa information.

Travelling shorter distances is easy and affordable. You can choose to travel by taxi, motorbike or local bus. For taxi or motorbike, you can download the Uber or Grab application on your phone, or simply flag a driver down from the street. It is easy for tourists to catch local buses as Google Maps will often display routes for city locations. The prices range from 5,000 to 10,000 VND (so make sure you are carrying smaller bills). To pay, hop on the bus and a conductor will collect the money and give you a ticket.When travelling longer distances around the country you can catch an inter-city bus, train or flight. If you need some advice on these options, feel free to send us an email.

Vietnam has a diverse climate. We recommend you check the weather forecasts before taking part in outdoor activities. You might be surprised to learn that you need to pack a jumper and beanie for some locations! We’ll give you some more advice on what to bring when you book a tour with us, and take a look at the ‘What to bring’ section for some general packing suggestions.

The quality of medical facilities in Vietnam depends on where you are in the country. Be aware that in regional areas there is a lack of services, especially quality services that are available. In Hanoi there are a number of quality hospitals and doctors we can direct you to. Please purchase travel insurance before going on holiday.