Animals Asia Bear Sanctuary Visit

Day 1 - Hanoi

Today you will arrive into Hanoi, where you will be met by your guide and drive and transferred to your hotel in the city centre – the iconic Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel. Located in the renowned French Quarter of the city, the hotel exudes the charm and character of its surroundings, with a rich history dating back over 120 years. The remainder of your day is at leisure.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2 - Hanoi

Morning is free at your leisure. Perhaps take an early morning walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, the Lake of the Restored Sword, a popular morning site for tai chi and other traditional exercises. Or wander up to the Old Quarter for an initial taste of its hustle and wonderful street scenes.
 
At midday your guide will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to KOTO Restaurant for lunch for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. KOTO stands for Know One, Teach One – the essential idea of KOTO’s Vietnamese-Australian founder, Jimmy Pham. Jimmy founded his unique hospitality training centre back in 1999, giving at-risk and disadvantaged youth the opportunity to break the poverty cycle by forging a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.  Over 1200 graduates have now passed through KOTO, including sous and executive chefs, hotel and resort general managers, business founders and owners, and many more. All are contributing to their families and society, and many have been the first graduates in their families.  After a delicious KOTO lunch, transfer back to your hotel. 
 
At 6pm, around sunset, meet your guide and head out for a Hanoi street food walking tour through the Old Quarter. Not only does this adventure offer the opportunity to try some of Hanoi’s most famous culinary treats, it ventures into fascinating and lively parts of the Old Quarter which are difficult to locate without local guidance. Whether you try the array of delicacies on hand, or simply enjoy the tour for its fantastic street scenes and local characters, this is an unforgettable insight into historic Hanoi’s traditions.
 
Along with a passionate food guide, walk through the Old Quarter’s small lanes, winding backstreets, and hidden alleys where a multitude of vendors set up their stalls and stools along the roadside. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the city at night. Then pull up a stool at one of Hanoi’s best pho shops. Slurp up a bowl of the steaming noodle soup while the guide explains the secrets behind this national dish.
 
Having tantalized the taste buds, continue on the food trail to sample other local favourites. Try banh cuon, steamed rice paper stuffed with pork and mushrooms, and nem chua ran, fried spring rolls, and many other dishes. Then sit down for a dinner of barbeque, dining on perfectly grilled meats and vegetables at a popular local shop.
 
Wrap up the evening with a beer at a bia hoi¸ small shops selling draft beer. Sip a cold beer while watching the vibrant night time street scenes. Afterwards, you will be returned to your hotel for a good night’s sleep.
 Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3 - Hanoi - Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary - Hanoi

In the morning your guide will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to Animals Asia’s Tam Dao bear sanctuary for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
 
Spread over an area of 11 hectares, the sanctuary has almost 30,000 square metres of semi-natural outdoor enclosure space designed to stimulate the bears’ natural behaviours. 
 
You will start with visit the bear dens, gaining insights into the process of how cubs, the majority rescued from poachers, are integrated over time into the adult dens. The majority of adult bears arrive with medical issues related to the bile farms, your time at the hospital will show the wide range of expertise and equipment needed to allow the beers to recover and lead healthy lives. Before lunch, you’ll be assisting the Nutrition Team to make the enrichment tools for the afternoon bear exercise. A delicious local lunch is provided at the sanctuary. After lunch, you will be responsible for distributing the toys around the enclosure, prior to the bears being let in, when you will be able to observe their behaviour from outside. 
 
In the afternoon, after a rewarding and moving day, your driver and guide will return you to your hotel.
 Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 4 - Hanoi

The day is free until your guide will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to airport for your flight for your onward travel arrangements.

Planning your next adventure is thrilling! While we hope for smooth travels, preparing for the unexpected is always smart. We highly recommend getting travel insurance when you book. Whether it's a medical emergency, a flight cancellation, a delayed suitcase, or an unforeseen event, ensure you're covered. For more info and advice, please visit: www.twac.com.au/travel-insurance or talk to your TWAC travel consultant.

Voluntary Changes

Includes booking changes requested by you, including but not limited to those changes requiring an airline ticket or a Purchase Confirmation reissue.

 • Changes - $100.00 per booking + additional charges from the airline/cruise company/accommodation/other travel providers.

Name Changes Due To Passenger Error

• If the incorrect name has been advised to TWAC, charges of $100.00 per booking + any additional charges applied by the airline/cruise company/accommodation/other travel providers.

Supplier Fees

In the event the Travel Offer you have purchased is unable to proceed, and/or a travel Supplier is unable to fulfil the Travel Offer due to external circumstances (Limitation of Liability e.g. a Force Majeure event), there may be a fee or amount of money that is withheld by our Suppliers and is unrecoverable. This may be due to non-refundable airline tickets, cancellation penalties with cruise cabins or unrecoverable payments with our land/accommodation partners. TWAC has committed to these costs as your Agent and will endeavour to recover all funds committed and/or paid for your Travel Offer, but this may not be possible in all circumstances. If refunds are unavailable from Suppliers, we will endeavour to obtain a travel credit on the best terms available and communicate these outcomes to you. If TWAC cannot obtain a refund or travel service credit, or part thereof, this cost is passed on to the customer as a Supplier Fee. This fee is not revenue-raising and is paid to or withheld by our suppliers when recovering payments.

Although you should read all of the terms and conditions, the following is a summary of the most important:

• Our travel package is non-refundable, however you will receive a travel credit to be applied to our travel services.
• You, as our client, agree to check all documentation immediately for errors. Travel With A Cause (TWAC) does not take responsibility for incorrect dates or names supplied.
• Prices, including, in some cases, of confirmed bookings, may be subject to change. ​
• Some confirmed bookings are non-refundable if cancelled by you and it is your responsibility to check if this applies.
• We will be entitled to retain our service fees even if a booking is cancelled or does not proceed for any reason which is not our fault.
• It is your responsibility to make yourself aware of all information relevant to your travel plans, including but not limited to visa requirements and health precautions.
• There may be some additional fees or other incentives from Suppliers.
• We are not liable for the recent updates of any published Supplier content including websites and brochures

CANCELLATION POLICY
Tour packages are non-refundable. If your tour package is affected by Covid-19 related travel restrictions and you are unable to travel, you will receive either a free date change (credit that is specific to your original package and purchase value) or an open credit less any non-recoverable supplier fees to the value of your original purchase for use on any other tour or package available via the TWAC website.
 
Please note: Date change credits are subject to availability and not guaranteed until confirmed by TWAC, not the tour operator you are due to stay with.
 
We recommend you consider purchasing travel insurance with Covid-19 protection. The standard cancellation policy will apply if you cannot travel because you have tested positive for Covid-19.
 
Please note: All additional charges are payable in AUD (unless otherwise stated).