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Photo Tours |North / Central Vietnam | HCMC Saigon and Mekong Delta | Cambodia Vietnam Tours| About our Photo Tours | Contact Us

© 2011 W Garber: Peace of Angkor Tours. All Rights Reserved
Site Design - © Warren Garber: Photo Credits - K Bush; Nguyen Mai; Warren Garber; Dave Perkes

Here are the most common questions that clients have asked us in the past:

Q. Why do you charge single supplements - can I avoid paying them?

A. We try our best to cater for the needs of solo guests. We don’t ask for any extra money except if that guest requires single hotel accommodation. All our accommodation providers charge per room and in all the hotels we use, there are no single-bed rooms. So the rooms are designed and priced for 2 persons, with twin or double bed.

We only pass on the nett-cost of the price difference, for having sole occupancy in a hotel room designed for 2 people.

We understand that some people just prefer their own space - therefore the single supplement is kept to a minimum.

We also offer solo guests the option to share with another same-sex guest on the tour. If this offer is accepted, then no supplement is payable.

Additionally - if our guest IS prepared to share, but there are no other solo guests that we can pair them with, then we will reduce the single supplement by 50%. That is we will absorb half of the supplement. We hope you see that’s fair !!

Q. What do you mean by ‘Small Group Tour’?
Will I just be part of a crowd?

A. Good question !! We limit our tour size to 12 guests. There are a number of reasons for this.. The main are that at this size we can ensure that all our clients get sufficient attention from the photo-leader; We don’t have to use large vehicles so impact on local communities that we visit is minimised;

We also  understand the dynamics of group travel - 12 is a nice size for people to get to know each other and share tips and ideas.

Q. Do I require a visa?

A. Generally yes. There are some exceptions, for instance if you have a passport from one of the ‘ASEAN’ nations, which will allow you usually 15 or 30 days  entry, visa-free.

For most nationalities outside of ASEAN, you will require a tourist visa. For entry to Vietnam, this MUST be arranged before you enter the country. You should contact the Vietnamese Consulate in your own country BEFORE you travel.

If you are visiting Cambodia and/or Laos, there are facilities for most nationalities to obtain a tourist visa on arrival at main Airports and at most land border checkpoints.

Cambodia also provides an online visa application, with full details of which passport holders are eligible. Check here for details.

If you have a specific situation, for instance you will require multiple-entries or wish to stay longer than one month, please contact us and we’ll do our best to advise you.

Q. Do I need to be an expert photographer? Will I feel out of my depth?

A. Absolutely not! In fact the less of an expert you are - the more you’ll get from our tours!

Our itineraries are designed for all levels of experience: The locations we visit have been researched from a photographic standpoint. This means that experienced photographers will be in the right location to shoot. Beginners or improvers, will receive instruction and advice on how the location and lighting should be translated into camera settings and will have time to experiment.

We know from experience that the mix of skills of our guests on tour, always leads to fun and friendly interaction between each other - with hints, tips and techniques always ready to be shared.

Q. What currency will I need? Can I use cards and Travellers Checks

A. For Vietnam, the currency is the Dong (VND). Almost all transactions are in Dong, the US Dollar is accepted at some establishments, but almost always at a poor exchange rate. ATM’s are plentiful and dispense VND, and are generally the best way to obtain cash in local currency, but will charge between 1 to 3 or more dollars.

For Cambodia things are different. The official currency is the Cambodian Riel (KHR), although the Riel is usually only used for small transactions and small change. The US Dollar is the main currency in use. Almost all transactions are in Dollars. Again, ATM’s are plentiful but do have charges of 3 to 4 dollars per transaction. All ATM’s dispense US Dollars only.

Credit and Debit cards are NOT widely accepted in restaurants or bars. Travellers checks (AMEX USD) may be cashed at some moneychangers or banks, but expect to pay around 3% commission charge.
Remember though - your itinerary includes for most meals and all hotel and transportation, so you will only require ‘spending money’ - how much of course is up to you !!

Q. What equipment is recommended?

A. Your camera of course! It can be anything from a simple point-and-shoot, through APS and DSLR (or higher !). You will get good results from any, but of course, dollar for dollar -  today's DLSR cameras give you the most control.

For DLSR cameras, if you only have one zoom lens, something around 18 - 200 mm focal length will cover most eventualities...

A tripod will be very useful if you can pack one. We will cover night and low-light photography in some detail. If you can’t pack one - let us know prior to travel, and we’ll see if we can help.

Memory Cards, USB Memory Sticks and such like are easily obtainable here.
 

Did we answer your question?

If you have any specific questions, queries or thoughts that we haven’t covered, we’d love to hear from you. Please use any of the methods here - we always respond to all enquiries, generally in 24 hours or less.