Every operator we list, in one index
Ten companies have full profile pages. The rest are listed inside the rankings, and this page is the map to both.
The ten full profiles
These pages go past the ranking entry. Each one sets out what the company actually sells, what its operating model means for you in practice, the travellers it is wrong for, and the checks to run before you transfer money. All ten are partner companies of the publisher, which is stated on each page and on how we rank.
| Operator | Based in | Best known for | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alotour | Hanoi | Multi-day packages mixing trekking, cruising and riding | Read the profile |
| Vietnam Tour Booking | Phu Quoc | Land tours and cruises, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia | Read the profile |
| Rose Tourist | Hanoi | Daily group departures and Ha Long cabins | Read the profile |
| Vietnam Explorer | Hanoi | Budget daily departures, half day to ten days | Read the profile |
| Red Gecko Travel | Hanoi | Small group trekking in the north | Read the profile |
| Canary Tourist | Hanoi | Guided packages with guide and driver | Read the profile |
| Phu Tho Travel | Phu Tho province | Customisable private and package tours | Read the profile |
| Vinadu | Hanoi | A booking platform with card payment | Read the profile |
| Hanoi Free Walking Tours | Hanoi | Free student-guided walks and food tours | Read the profile |
| Saigon Free Day Tours | Ho Chi Minh City | Free student-guided city and food tours | Read the profile |
Everyone else, by where you find them
Around ninety other companies are listed across the eleven rankings without a profile page. They are grouped here by the list they appear on, because that is how anyone actually looks for them. Each ranking entry carries the company address, licence number and product range where the company publishes them.
- Food and street food specialists in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An and Da Nang are in the food tour ranking
- Vespa, jeep, cyclo and walking city operators are in the city tour ranking
- National operators, destination management companies and multi-day specialists are in the package tour ranking
- Student volunteer clubs are in the free walking tour ranking
- Ninh Binh, Cu Chi, Ha Long day and Mekong day companies are in the day trip ranking
- Cruise lines and cabin agencies are in the Ha Long cruise ranking
- Ha Giang loop and motorcycle expedition companies are in the motorbike ranking
- Sapa, Pu Luong and Ba Be trekking companies are in the trekking ranking
- River boats, sampans and delta day operators are in the Mekong ranking
- Private travel designers are in the tailor-made ranking
- Dive centres and island boat operators are in the island ranking
How to read an operator profile
The profiles follow one shape, so you can compare them. At a glance is the verifiable record: where the company is based, how to reach it, what it sells, what it publishes and what it does not. Where a field says "Not published", the company does not publish it and we have not guessed.
What their model means for you is the section most worth your time. A company selling daily group departures, a platform taking card payment, a provincial operator with no city office and a destination management company selling mainly to foreign tour operators are four different businesses, and each one fails in a different way. Knowing which one you are dealing with tells you what to ask.
Then comes who the operator is not for, and the pre-payment checklist. If you read nothing else on a profile, read those two. The general version of the checklist is on choosing an operator.
Want a shortlist instead of an index?
Tell us the trip and we will name the operators worth contacting first.
What a listing here is not
A listing is not an endorsement, an inspection or a guarantee. We have not audited these companies, taken their tours, or seen their insurance. Every entry is built from what the company publishes plus the category knowledge we can apply to it, and every entry says where that evidence stops.
- We have not inspected vehicles, vessels or safety equipment
- We do not hold client money and take no part in any booking
- We cannot resolve a dispute between you and an operator, and we say so plainly
- A profile page does not mean a company is better than one without a profile
If a company on this site has stopped trading, changed its trading name, or you believe an entry contains an error, tell us and we will check it. Corrections go through the same email address as everything else, on the contact page.
Questions travellers ask most
Why do only ten companies have profile pages?
Because a profile takes verified detail, and those ten are the companies we have the most reliable, current information about. They are also partner companies of the publisher, which is disclosed on each page.
Profile pages will be added for other operators as the material to write them honestly becomes available. Being unprofiled is not a judgement on a company.
Does a profile mean the company is better?
No. Several unprofiled operators outrank profiled ones on their own category lists. The ranking is where the judgement lives, and the profile is only depth.
Can I ask you which of these to book?
Yes, and we will answer with a shortlist rather than one name, because the right operator depends on your dates, your group and how much control you want over the day. We take no commission whichever you choose.
How do I check an operator is licensed?
Ask for the international tour operator licence number in writing and check the trading name on it matches the company you are paying. A company that runs inbound tours legally holds one and will send it without hesitation. A refusal or a delay is the answer.
Read next
Tell us what you want to do in Vietnam
Dates, party size and the places you care about are enough to start. You get a draft route and an indicative price, not a brochure.