Sunsail – vietnam

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Vietnam - Essential Holiday Information

Sunsail Vietnam
Nha Trang Sailing Club
72-74 Tran Phu St.
Nah Trang
Base Manager: Morgan Hayes
phone: 0084 976470725

TIME
• Time difference between the UK and Vietnam is + 7 hours

LANGUAGE
• Vietnamese, French and English

PASSPORT & VISAS
• Please ensure your passport is valid for the period of travel and for six months after you return.
• Your passport name must match the name on the flight ticket otherwise you may not be able to travel and insurance may be invalid.
• If your child is not already included on a valid British Passport they are required to hold their own passport.
• Visas are required for all British passport holders. Single entry visas are valid for one month and applications must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of travel. Travelmood offer a visa service for £16 or a payment of $25USD can be made on arrival in Vietnam. Non-British passport holders, please contact your local consulate for advice on visa and passport requirements.
• Non-British passport holders should check with their local Consulate direct.

VACCINATIONS
• Immunisation or tablets are recommended for protection against Hepatitis A, Polio and Typhoid and against Malaria if incorporating a visit to the north of Thailand.
• Immunisation against Yellow Fever is essential if arriving from an infected country.
• Please refer to the Department of Health's 'EHIC and health advice for travellers' web page at www.dh.gov.uk or consult your family GP for further details.

FLIGHTS
• Gatwick Information 0870 000 2468
• Heathrow Information 0870 000 0123
• Manchester Information 0161 489 3000
• Luton Information 0158 240 5100
• Glasgow Information 0141 887 1111
• Luggage allowance is 20kg per person. Only one item of hand luggage per person is allowed and this must not weigh more than 5kg. For storage aboard we recommend traveling light and using folding luggage.
• Lost or damaged luggage whilst flying is the responsibility of the airline and is not covered by your travel insurance, however First Choice Airways has no liability for loss or damage to valuable or fragile items packed in hold baggage however caused. You must not include in Checked Baggage money, jewellery, precious metals, computers, personal electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities or other valuables, business documents, passports and other identification documents or samples.
• If an incident occurs, immediately report it to airport officials and ensure Property Irregularity Reports (PIR) are completed. Claims will not be considered once you have left the airport.
• If you are taking our First Choice Charter flights and wish to enquire about pre booking seats please call the airline direct on 0870 757 2757. Group seats are available for pre booking through Sunsail. Call the team for more details.
• SAVE UPTO 30% when you book your airport parking with BCP through Sunsail. Call the team for more details quoting Sunsail reference BN545

AIRPORTS
• Vietnam’s Nah Trang airport is approximately 30 mins from the base.

CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION
• Before leaving the airport, you will have to clear Immigration and Customs.
• A landing card will be given to you on the plane, along with a Customs declaration form. Airlines will assume no liability for perishable articles, e.g. food, which may also be confiscated by Customs. You must retain the customs declaration form in order to leave the country at the end of your stay

CURRENCY
• The Dong.
• Cash and Travellers Cheques can be changed at banks, exchange shops and airports. ATM’s are readily available, but major credit cards are generally only accepted in the larger towns.
• Currency can be exchanged commission free at any high street First Choice Retail travel agent on production of your Sunsail invoice. You can pre-order your currency from a First Choice travel agent by telephoning them in advance on 0870 9005154 to find your nearest branch.

TRANSFERS
• If your Sunsail Holiday includes our charter flight, a Sunsail representative will meet you at the airport and escort you to your transfer.
• If your holiday is flight exclusive, we request that you send your travel arrangements to us so we can assist with transfer details where required. Transfers from Nah Trang airport to the Base can be arranged on request. The approximate cost of a taxi for up to 3 people is 17,000 Dong($1.20) each way, a minibus for up to 10 people £19 each way.
PLEASE NOTE: Guests arriving separately should bring a copy of the charter contract / invoice.
• Taxis are available at Nah Trang airport and can be hired in any town.
• Cyclo’s the popular local form of transport. Buses and trains are also available for journeys between towns.

SKIPPERS & CREW CERTIFICATES AND BOAT PAPERS
• In Vietnam it is ESSENTIAL that we have all of the following details in advance: Full name, date of birth, place of birth, nationality and passport no./ID card no for every member of your crew so that your boat papers can be prepared. You will not be able to sail without these papers, and failure to supply information in advance could delay your departure form the base.
• Please bring any RYA certificates or other sailing qualifications with you.

BOARDING/DEPARTURE
• Due to the weather conditions in Vietnam (stronger winds and larger waves in the afternoons) we recommend boarding yachts in the morning. Please call the base prior to arrival to confirm your yacht will be available to board. At the end of your charter your yacht will need to be vacated by 0900 hrs so we would ask that you return to the base the day before.
• PLEASE NOTE – The base is not manned full time so it is vital that you let us know your estimated arrival time. We can then ensure someone is available to meet you.

BRIEFINGS
• The personalised chart briefing given on your arrival describes the cruising area and any potential hazards.
• The yacht briefing introduces you to your yacht, it’s systems and rigging. It is carried out individually for each yacht. It is important that all systems and equipment are fully understood. Briefings are mandatory.

SAFETY
• All yachts are equipped with life jackets and a harness for everyone on board. We leave it up to you to decide when personal safety equipment should be worn.
• We suggest that children who are not strong swimmers should not be allowed in a dinghy without a life jacket or buoyancy aid and that they should wear a buoyancy aid or harness when on deck.
• Children under the age of 16yrs should not operate an outboard engine.

ILLNESS OR INJURY
• Contact a member of Sunsail staff as soon as possible on either a lead boat or at a Sunsail base.
• If you need to make a claim for curtailment due to illness, ask the base manager for assistance and contact your insurer's emergency medical service immediately.
• Your insurance company will assist with travel arrangements, advice and payment of bills.
• Obtain receipts for any medication, treatment or transport you have to pay for and submit with your claim.

EQUIPMENT ON THE YACHTS
Sunsail yachts are equipped with just about everything you will need for a safe and enjoyable holiday.
• A deposit is required for dinghy, outboard engine, windsurfer, ocean kayak, cruising chute and GP.
• A refundable security deposit of £300 (regardless of number of items booked) is payable by credit card or Travellers Cheques at the Sunsail base against the loss or damage of these items, whether included in the basic holiday price or as an extra.
• You will be given a checklist on arrival to make sure you have all the items listed on the inventory.
• Please inform the base manager before you leave the base if anything is missing as it is not always possible to replace or exchange items once you have departed on your cruise. Stolen items must be immediately reported to Sunsail management and the local police. An incident report will be completed for insurance purposes
• Any problems with, or damage to, your yacht must be reported to the local staff immediately. If not we cannot be held responsible.
• Each yacht is equipped with two pairs of snorkelling equipment, linen and bath towels and navigation equipment. Please bring beach towels with you. We advise you not to bring self-inflating life jackets or buoyancy aids fitted with gas-cylinders as they may not be allowed on the aircraft.
• Clothing – In Sunsail locations dress is informal, but we ask you to respect local etiquette. Wet weather gear and fleeces are advisable for early and late season.

COST OF LIVING
Prices vary between areas and from restaurant to restaurant, however the following is a guide for your reference:
• A bottle of wine costs about £5 - £10 in a supermarket and about £10 - £15 in a restaurant.
• A bottle of beer costs about £1 - £1.50.
• A three course meal in a cosmopolitan restaurant is likely to cost over £10 per head. However in a local restaurant you may be able to buy a two course meal for as little as £2 per head.

EATING OUT
• Along the coastline and on several islands there are restaurants serving excellent seafood, Vietnamese cuisine, that is great value for money, and Strong French colonial influenced local dishes.

PROVISIONING
• We offer an on-line pre-provisioning service so you can order goods before your holiday starts. The provisioning pages will confirm the latest order date for your chosen destination.
• A supermarket is located near to the Sunsail base. There is little opportunity to re-provision en-route therefore it is advisable to stock up on beverages before your departure from the base as this Marina is the only facility where you can tie up to a quay to load things onto your boat easily.

MOORING FEES
• Currently no fees are charged at the majority of anchorages. Facilities on the base at present are very limited and there is no water and electricity available on the berths and no on shore shower or toilet facilities . As a guide, fuel charges cost around £20 for two weeks on a large yacht.

CRUISING TAXES
• Cruising taxes apply on all charters and are payable in cash only at the base on arrival. Cruising taxes are charged at $84 per skipper and $11 per crew member.

TOURISM INFORMATION
• There are tourism offices and information centres in Nha Trang.
• Ho Chi Minh City is noted for great shopping with local silks and craftworks being particular bargains.
• Excursions available are Diving, Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City and Cu Chi Tunnels

WEATHER
• Sailing in Vietnam is during the South West season May to October. The weather is ideal with south-westerly winds force 2 to 5, calm seas, plenty of sunshine and very little rain.
• The winds tend to start late morning and blow consistently until dusk after which they die away for a comfortable nights anchorage.
• Ho Chi Minh City and the south are hot all year round, particularly from May to August, with daytime temperatures ranging from 24ºc to 35ºc. Hanoi and the north experience four seasons with June to September being the hottest with an average temperature of 33ºc and December through February the coolest averaging 18ºc.
• Tidal range is approximately 1 to 2 meters.

BAGGAGE
• If you have luggage that you wish to leave at the base this can be left in the office for the duration of your charter.

CHARTS AND PILOT BOOK
• All the charts and pilot books you will need for the sailing area are on board the yacht. Charts and pilot books can be purchased in advance from www.imray.com or www.kelvinhughes.com

LOST PROPERTY
• If any valuables are left behind in your base, please contact the relevant base as soon as possible after the loss.
• Our base staff will endeavour to locate your property and will contact you with the result of their search.
• Return of property to you will normally be by DHL. The cost of the courier service plus a £15 charge will have to be taken by credit/debit card.
• If goods are left on the plane you will need to contact the airline direct. For First Choice Airways this number is 01293 507160. The office is open between 10am and 4pm. If there is no reply leave and message and they will return your call.
PLEASE NOTE SUNSAIL DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY GOODS THAT SUBSEQUENTLY GO MISSING DURING TRANSIT TO THE UK

PLEASE NOTE
• If you feel that a problem may adversely affect your holiday, you must give our staff the opportunity to resolve it for you. If the problem is not resolved to your satisfaction, please ensure that you inform the base manager and it is essential that you complete a holiday report form.
• Unfortunately, claims made for problems not reported first to the base staff and then to the manager locally, cannot be considered.
TO REITERATE THE HOLIDAY BOOKING CONDITIONS, ANY COMPLAINTS OR CLAIMS MUST BE RECEIVED IN WRITING WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THE END OF YOUR HOLIDAY.

RESPECTING DESTINATIONS
• Sunsail remain committed to looking after the environment and supporting the cultures where we operate and over many years you have helped us to ensure that our presence does not negatively impact these areas. Please continue to assist us to leave these areas ‘As good or better than we found them’

PLEASE NOTE: Times and prices are correct at the time of publication, but are subject to change without prior notice.
Vietnam Information Sheet last updated 02.07.07