CONDITIONS OF RESERVATION
The following booking conditions refer to our Tailormade Touring and Hotels. For Small Group Journeys booking conditions, please refer to the Small Group Journeys section under How to Book at the rear of the brochure.
Important Note – The travel industry in several of our Asian destinations is still in its infancy. Whilst the freshness and novelty of
tourism in these regions is in part the appeal to many visitors, others might see it differently. It’s important to recognise that the
level of service and standards in some areas, whilst improving, are not yet comparable to more mature travel destinations.
In Asia’s new frontiers there is always the possibility that circumstances beyond our control may necessitate some changes to your travel programme.
Your patience and tolerance in such an event will make your holiday a truly rewarding experience. Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina highly recommends that if you have any questions or concerns about conditions in any destination country that you contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at www.dfat.gov.au or phone 1300 555 135. Please ensure that you are aware of health and entry/exit requirements that may apply to places you are visiting and check with the World Health Organisation at www.who.int. You are responsible for meeting any health requirements.
Pricing – All prices quoted in this brochure include all Government levies and airport taxes as at the date of publication of this
brochure. Please note that these levies and taxes are subject to change. All prices are inclusive of Australian GST where applicable.
Deposits and Balance – A non-refundable deposit of $300 per person is required upon acceptance of your booking. For bookings at a value of less than $300, full payment is due at time of booking. By paying a non-refundable deposit it will be understood that you have read and accepted these Conditions of Reservation. Your balance is due and payable to Travel Indochina 60 days prior to the scheduled date for departure from Australia notified to you in your confirmation of booking. Failure to pay in full by the due date may result in the automatic cancellation of your booking.
Late bookings – Applications for bookings that are made 7 days or less prior to the scheduled departure from Australia will be
subject to a late booking fee of $50 per application. Please note that we are unable to accept cheques for late bookings.
Minimum Booking Fee – Any booking of 3 nights or less will incur a minimum booking fee of $50.
Exchange Rate Fluctuations – Due to the unstable nature of the Australian dollar, regrettably currency surcharges may be
necessary. Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina will without guarantee try to give clients who have paid deposits a grace period to pay in full in order to avoid any surcharge. However, the best way to avoid surcharges is to pay in full as soon as possible.
Visas – At this time, Australian passport holders require visas for entry into China, India, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Please note it is essential that you acquire your Vietnam, China and India visa/s prior to your departure. Cambodia and Laos visas are available at some air and land entry points; this should be confirmed well in advance of your travel date. Your travel agent or Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina can assist you with acquiring visas. The timely acquisition of a valid visa and other official travel document remains the responsibility of the traveller. It is highly recommended that you allow a minimum of 10 working days for visa processing. Please note, if you leave and re-enter any country that requires a visa you may need to obtain a double-entry or transit visa for that country.
Insurance – We strongly recommend that all travellers should, no matter what your arrangements with Essence of Asia & Travel
Indochina, take out insurance at the time of booking.
Please note that the travel industry throughout Asia is still in its infancy. Not all hotels or service providers are required by local law
to take out public liability insurance. While Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina always seeks to work with providers that are fully
insured this is not always possible and is another reason why all travellers should be comprehensively insured before leaving home.
At minimum your insurance should provide unlimited cover for medical expenses, full provision for evacuation and as a guide a
minimum of $AU20,000 for repatriation. If you are relying on a credit card provider’s insurance cover we ask that you carefully check that it does include the above mentioned level of cover, as often these policies are very basic. If you are unsure about any of this detail please check with your travel agent who will be able to assist.
Please see our Small Group Journeys section on the inside back cover for insurance requirements specific to our
Small Group Journeys.
Amendments – Once itineraries are confirmed one free change is allowed. A fee of $60 is required for every change thereafter and a deposit must be paid on the booking before it can be changed. If an amendment is requested within 60 days of the scheduled departure date a cancellation fee may also apply.
Cancellation and Refunds – Requests for cancellation of confirmed bookings must be made in writing and will be subject to the
following cancellation fees applied per person, per confirmed booking:
For requests for cancellation made more than 60 days before the scheduled date for departure from Australia – the deposit will be
forfeited to Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina;
For requests for cancellation made between 30 - 60 days before the scheduled date for departure from Australia – a cancellation fee of 25% of the travel and booking fee or $300 whichever is the greater;
For requests for cancellation made less than 30 days before the scheduled date for departure from Australia – 100% of the travel
and booking fee.
Cancellations of air arrangements will be subject to fees charged in accordance with the type of airfare used and airline tariff
regulations. Refunds will not be given for unused or cancelled services after your tour arrangements have commenced.
Documents – Travel documents will be issued after final payment has been received and are normally sent two to three weeks prior to departure.
Responsibilities – Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina (a division of Transonic Travel Pty Ltd) acts as agents only for the persons or companies providing or offering the means of travel conveyance, transport, accommodation or other services included in your booking (“Suppliers”) and all receipts, tickets, vouchers and coupons are issued subject to the terms and conditions under which transportation and services are offered by such persons. Copies of the relevant terms and conditions will be provided to you on request. Some of these Suppliers limit or exclude their liability and are often subject to international convention between countries.
Care is taken to ensure Suppliers of travel conveyance, transport, accommodation and other services included in your booking
maintain high standards. However, these parties are independent parties over whom Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina has no
control. To the extent permitted by law, Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina excludes all liability in respect of any claims, losses,
damages, costs or expenses suffered by you that relates in any way to the supply of goods or services by these Suppliers or by any third party.
Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina does not accept responsibility for any aspect of your holiday arrangements affected by matters over which Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina has no control, including, without limitation, war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, terrorist activity, malicious damage, sabotage, natural disaster, weather conditions, fire, flood, explosions, drought, industrial disputes or government action or infrastructure failures (together and individually called a “Force Majeure Event”).
To the maximum extent permitted by law, any liability on Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina’s part including any liability for
negligence or for breach of contract is limited to a maximum of the cost of the holiday undertaken.
If the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) or any similar law implies a condition or warranty into these terms in relation to any service
provided by Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina and such condition or warranty cannot be excluded, any liability of Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina for breach of that condition or warranty will be limited, at Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina’s discretion to the supplying of the services again; or the payment of the cost of having the services supplied again.
Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina will take such action as it deems reasonably appropriate to ensure the departure of your holiday on the date scheduled for departure from Australia as notified to you in your confirmation of booking, but reserves its rights upon the occurrence of a Force Majeure Event that impacts on the scheduled date for departure.
Governing law - These conditions are governed by New South Wales law. Any action in relation to these conditions or in relation to any tour will be heard in New South Wales.
Booking Conditions – Small Group Journeys
Please contact your agent who will assist you with your flights, travel insurance and any other queries about your holiday. To
guarantee your booking, you must complete and sign the attached booking form, and forward it along with your deposit of $400
per person, to your agent within 7 working days of the confirmation of your holiday. Failure to do so may result in the automatic
cancellation of your booking. The balance of payment is due 65 days prior to departure.
Airfare
The prices in the brochure do not include airfares from your departing country. Check with your agent for fares with all major
carriers to Asia. Ask us for the best air deals to match your chosen Small Group Journey.
Small Group Journeys Dossiers
A Small Group Journey dossier is available for every journey featured in this brochure. The dossier provides a more detailed itinerary and list of inclusions.
Regular Departures
Because we run Small Group Journeys, you can be confident that the trip of your choice will operate. But remember, with a
maximum of 15 people, our journeys fill quickly. Book early to secure your place. Please note that both a western leader and local
guide are allocated once the group size reaches 7 or more.Western leader scheduling is finalised 30 days prior to departure. In the
rare event that a journey increases to 7 or more travellers within 30 days of commencement, Travel Indochina will do all possible to
secure a western leader but this cannot be guaranteed.
Travel Information Kit
Once final payment is made, you will receive a comprehensive Information Kit that includes a Pre Departure Information Guide and
detailed itinerary.
Luggage
In most cases, we are travelling in tropical areas so you only need light summer clothes. Pre Departure Information Guides contain
more detailed information on clothing requirements for each journey, but soft bags are preferable to heavy suitcases. On some of
our adventure journeys, hard suitcases are not permitted. You should be able to carry your own luggage and in many cases
porterage is not available.
Health & Fitness
Travellers should have a basic level of physical fitness and mobility and should be able to negotiate uneven surfaces, climb stairs
and board boats as the programmes require. All itineraries involve some physical activity, and some involve long distance travel and occasionally, basic accommodation. Check the gradings in the relevant Travel Facts box in this brochure, or ask one of our
professional staff to select the most suitable for you. You will be required to send in a completed fitness and mobility form. Please
consult your doctor for information on vaccination requirements.
How to subscribe to our newsletter
‘Journeys’, our electronic newsletter, has been created to give us a better means of staying in touch with you, our community of
travellers. Every two months we will update you on interesting things happening in our part of the world and in the Travel
Indochina team. There will be exclusive competitions and give-aways as well as advance notice of special offers. Subscribe now to our newsletter ‘Journeys’ and keep informed. Register online now at: www.travelindochina.com.au
A Note On Flexibility
All of the journeys selected in this brochure have been carefully planned and researched. From time to time however, we make
adjustments to journey programmes with a view to improving them from an operational perspective. Please also note that local
conditions may sometimes require adjustment to journey programmes during their operation. Whilst we endeavour to avoid such
scenarios, they are an occasional, unavoidable feature of travelling in this region. If such journey adjustments become necessary, a flexible attitude will ensure that they do not impact on your overall experience and the experience of other group members. Travel Indochina prides itself on high levels of operational integrity.We are also proud of our clients and the positive and informed
approach they exhibit in dealing with different and sometimes challenging local conditions.
Travel Advice
Travel Indochina highly recommends that if you have any questions or concerns in regards to the destination you are travelling to
that you contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at www.dfat.gov.au or phone 1300 555 135. All of the countries
featured in this brochure are at various stages of economic development. Whilst most accommodations and transport utilised in the
programmes meet with international standards, the destinations themselves do not provide infrastructure of the same standard as
Australia. Specifically, roads, wharves, hospital facilities and other infrastructure are all below western standards.
Lao Aviation ~ Lao Aviation domestic flights have been the subject of consular warnings and we strongly recommend that you
contact your local government travel advisory bureau or your country’s Lao Embassy for latest information.
APEC Summit, Hanoi. November 2006
The APEC Summit will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam in November 2006 and this will affect hotel availability and access in the city.
Itineraries and dates of our Small Group Journeys that visit Hanoi in the lead-up to and during this period may be subject to
significant change.
Visas
At the time of publication Australian passport holders do require visas for Vietnam, China and India, which must be acquired prior
to your departure. Visas for Cambodia and Laos are also required and can be obtained on arrival through one of the international
airports or land borders. No visa is required for Thailand provided you are staying less than 30 days. Your Travel Agent or Travel
Indochina can assist you with acquiring visas. However, the timely acquisition of a valid visa and other official travel documents
remains the responsibility of the traveller. It is highly recommended that you allow a minimum of 10 working days for visa
processing. Please note if you leave and re-enter any country that requires a visa you may need to obtain a double entry visa for
that country.
Important Note – The travel industry in Vietnam, India, Laos, China, Thailand and Cambodia is in its infancy. Whilst the freshness
and novelty of tourism in these regions is in part the appeal to many visitors, others might see it differently. It is important to
recognise that the level of service and standards in some areas, whilst improving, is not yet comparable to more mature travel
destinations.
In Asia’s new frontiers there is always the possibility that circumstances beyond our control may necessitate some changes to your travel programme. Your patience and tolerance in such an event will make your holiday a truly rewarding experience.
Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina highly recommend that if you have any questions or concerns about conditions in any
destination country that you contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at www.dfat.gov.au, the World Health
Organisation at www.who.int, or phone 1300 555 135. Please ensure that you are aware of health and entry/exit requirements
that may apply to places you are visiting. You are responsible for meeting such requirements.
Deposits & Balance – A non-refundable deposit of $400 per person per journey is required upon confirmation of your booking.
You will also be required to send a signed booking form and a completed fitness form. Once a non-refundable deposit is received it
will be understood that you have read and accepted the Conditions of Reservation, including matters outlined in the Important Pre-
Departure Info. The balance is due 65 days prior to departure from Australia. Failure to pay in full by the due date may result in the
automatic cancellation of your booking. If you are booking within 50 days of your departure, full payment is required before your
Small Group Journey can be confirmed. If a departure is filled more than 60 days prior to departure, full payment will be required
within 7 days.
Amendments – No amendments will be made until a deposit has been paid. Up to 65 days prior to departure one amendment
per booking is permitted free of charge. For all subsequent amendments there will be a charge of $100 levied per change. Within
50 days prior to departure, cancellation fees will apply and full tour price will apply to new arrangements. Once documentation has
been issued an additional reissue fee of $50 per person will apply. Airfare restrictions also apply. All discounted airfares are nonrefundable and non-changeable after ticket issue.
Cancellations and Refunds – Requests for cancellation of confirmed bookings must be made in writing and will be subject to
the following cancellation fees applied per person, per confirmed booking:
More than 65 days prior to departure – deposit ($400 per person, per journey). 50-65 days prior to departure – 25% or $400 per
person, whichever is greater. 35-50 days before departure – 50% of journey cost. Less than 35 days before departure – 100% of
journey cost. Cancellation of air arrangements will be subject to fees charged in accordance with the type of airfare used and
airline tariff regulations. Refunds will not be given for unused or cancelled services after your tour arrangements have commenced.
Late Bookings – Applications for bookings that are made 7 days or less prior to the scheduled departure from Australia will be
subject to a late booking fee of $50 per application.
Minimum Numbers – The departure of most journeys require a minimum of 2 or 4 confirmed passengers. If a tour departure
does not reach the minimum number of passengers to operate 45 days prior to departure, Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina
reserve the right to cancel the tour departure. No penalty will apply and alternative options will be offered. As such, it is highly
recommended that you arrange appropriate visas and issue air tickets no earlier than 30 days prior to the scheduled departure.
Local Leaders – Tour departures with a minimum of 7 confirmed passengers will operate with a Western Tour Leader and local
english-speaking guides. If a tour departure has less than 7 passengers (but more than minimum numbers) 45 days prior to
departure, the tour will be operated with local english-speaking guides only. In the rare event that a journey increases to 7 or more
travellers within 30 days of commencement, Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina will do all possible to allocate Western Tour Leader but this cannot be guaranteed.
Insurance – Travel Insurance is compulsory for all clients travelling with Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina on a Small Group
Journey. It is a condition of travel with Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina that clients are insured for the full duration of their
holiday. Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina’s minimum requirements for travel insurance are that such insurance includes unlimited cover for medical expenses, full provision for evacuation and a minimum of $20,000 cover for repatriation expenses. Any client who arrives in country of destination with no insurance or without adequate insurance will not be permitted to commence their Small Group Journey with Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina until an insurance policy with adequate cover has been issued to that client. Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina does not accept insurance provided by credit card companies as adequate insurance cover.
For Tailor-made Touring travellers, it is highly recommended that adequate insurance is taken out for the full duration of their
travels. In all cases Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina recommend that insurance be taken out at the time of booking confirmation.
Airlines – Please note that government and other related travel taxes that need to be collected on air tickets can change without
notice. Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina can not be held responsible for taxes that may be applied even after full money is paid
and reserves the right to collect these taxes.
Brochure Validity – The Essence of Asia brochure was published in March 2006 and is valid until March 2007. Prices for
departures in 2007 are subject to change. Published prices are in Australian dollars. The information is valid at the time of
publication but is subject to change. Please be sure to confirm the details of your requirements at the time of booking.
Responsibilities – Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina (a division of Transonic Travel Pty Ltd) act as agents only for the persons or companies providing or offering the means of travel conveyance, transport, accommodation or other services included in your booking (“Suppliers”) and all receipts, tickets, vouchers and coupons are issued subject to the terms and conditions under which transportation and services are offered by such persons. Copies of the relevant terms and conditions will be provided to you on request. Some of these Suppliers limit or exclude their liability and are often subject to international convention between countries.
Care is taken to ensure Suppliers of travel conveyance, transport, accommodation and other services included in your booking
maintain high standards. However, these parties are independent parties over whom Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina have no
control. To the extent permitted by law, Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina exclude all liability in respect of any claims, losses,
damages, costs or expenses suffered by you that relates in any way to the supply of goods or services by these Suppliers or by any third party.
Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina do not accept responsibility for any aspect of your holiday arrangements affected by matters
over which Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina have no control, including and without limitation to war or threat of war, riots, civil
strife, terrorist activity, malicious damage, sabotage, natural disaster, weather conditions, fire, flood, explosions, drought, industrial
disputes, government action, infrastructure failures or outbreaks of disease (together and individually called a “Force Majeure
Event”).
To the maximum extent permitted by law, any liability on Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina’s part including any liability for
negligence or for breach of contract is limited to a maximum of the cost of the holiday undertaken.
If the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) or any similar law implies a condition or warranty into these terms in relation to any service
provided by Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina and such condition or warranty cannot be excluded, any liability of Travel Indochina for breach of that condition or warranty will be limited, at Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina’s discretion to the supplying of the services again; or the payment of the cost of having the services supplied again.
Essence of Asia & Travel Indochina will take such action as deemed reasonably appropriate to ensure the departure of your holiday on the date scheduled for departure from Australia as notified to you in your confirmation of booking, but reserves its rights upon the occurrence of a Force Majeure Event that impacts on the scheduled date for departure.
Governing Law - These conditions are governed by New South Wales law. Any action in relation to these conditions or in relation to any journeys will be heard in New South Wales.