Vietnam Airlines is planning an increase of airfares from 15^th March. A formal notice has not yet been received and new tariffs have yet to be issued however we anticipate this will happen.

Given this information we recommend to issue all tickets for persons travelling after 15th March now.  All bookings confirmed now, but issued after 15^th March will have to bear a surcharge which Exotissimo Vietnam will have to pass on to agents. The anticipated increase for a classic Vietnam tour with 2 flights North-Center and Center-South would be USD 25-30 per pax therefore for confirmed tickets/files it will be best to issue now. If some names are missing for some groups, our sales teams will ask agents to try as much as possible to provide names asap.

If tickets are issued before 15^th March and pax has to cancel a cancellation fee will apply, which would only be around USD 20 per pax for same flights as above.

We have received information from Vietnam Airlines that Hue’s Phu Bai Airport will be closed from May 05th – June 05th 2011. Until now this information has only been received verbally and at this point in time no official statement has been issued.
We are checking all bookings into Hue during this time and will inform you accordingly. An update will be sent when we receive the official notice however please contact with your regular sales consultant on any questions or mail to vietnam@exotissimo.com.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the opening of Hotel de l’Opéra Hanoi has been delayed until June 2011. The hotel will not be taking any bookings until this time. Hotel de l’Opera is a 5-star boutique property comprising of 107 rooms with 4 Food and Beverage outlets including banquet facilities. The hotel occupies a prime location on Trang Tien Street halfway between the Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake, in close proximity to shops and restaurants. With its central location and boutique style the property brings a much needed addition to Hanoi’s 5-star hotel range. For more information please contact Vietnam@exotissimo.com

From January, 2011 Cruise Halong whose fleet includes the Jasmine, Ginger and Violet Junks now feature exclusive candle-lit cave dinners in all programs. The cave, which has not been opened to public before, features a wooden platform where tables are arranged surrounded by stalactites. The diner set is buffet style featuring seafood, meat and vegetable dishes. There are bathroom facilities at the cave and tender boats will be on hand should dinners wish to return early to their respective junks.
For longer 2 night programs the second dinner can be arranged either on the junks or back in the cave depending on passenger’s requests. Cruise Halong will also be changing their cruising programs slightly by adding Bai Tu Long Bay into all their itineraries. Situated just to the north of Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long is a far quieter part of the Bay with few tourist boats venturing this far. All Junks departure/return times to Halong City remain the same.

Qatar Airways is spreading it’s wings in Vietnam by launching scheduled flights to Hanoi as well as increasing it’s frequency to Ho Chi Minh City nearly tripling the airline’s number of services in and out of the country. The Hanoi flights go via Bangkok and Doha, and the Ho Chi Minh service flies direct from Doha.
Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Airways said, “Qatar Airways appreciates the support provided by the Vietnamese government in allowing us to almost triple the number of flights we operate to the country. The bilateral relationship between Qatar and Vietnam has grown significantly in recent years and this route development is one of the results of this growing friendship. Vietnam has long been an attractive leisure destination and with the country’s economic strength continuing to build, we are also seeing more business travel in and out of the country.

Fringing the Inle Lake in the Southern Shan State, the Red Mountain Vineyards make the perfect addition to a luxury tailor made Myanmar tour. Considered to produce the best wines in the country, made with locally grown grapes, all of the 400,000 plants have been imported from France and Spain. Clients will have the opportunity to observe the making of the wine before savoring a glass or two over a freshly prepared meal in the vineyards.

Private LCC launched in VN: Air Mekong took to the skies in Vietnam beginning of October. Although a low cost carrier the airline plans to open routes to more remote areas including flights from Hanoi to both Phu Quoc and Con Dao Islands. Air Mekong will use four three-year-old Bombardier CRJ-900s configured with 10 Deluxe-class and 80 Economy-class seats for 26 daily flights.

New Ho Chi Minh City – Yangon flights: Vietnam Airlines will launch a four-weekly direct flight between Yangon and Ho Chi Minh City from October 31. The airline will also increase the frequency of its Yangon-Hanoi service, launched earlier this year, from four to five flights a week. The airlines currently plans to use Airbus A320 to boost capacity on the

Yangon-Hanoi service. It currently uses a 79-seat Fokker 70 aircraft on the route.
Lao Airlines to resume HCMC Services: Lao Airlines will resume a three weekly service on the Vientiane-Pakse-Ho Cho Minh City route from mid October. In 2002, the airline served Ho Chi Minh City via Phnom Penh, but suspended the service later that year. The three-weekly service from Vientiane will make a brief stop in Pakse giving the southern Lao town 13 flights a week from Vientiane up from 10 flights a week. The new services are scheduled to depart Vientiane on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 0700 and from Pakse to Ho Chi Minh City at 0915. The flight returns to Pakse at 1145.

We are happy to announce that Exo has been named as the official Mekong Sessions travel partner for the Leonard Cohen Live in Phnom Penh benefit concert and all upcoming concerts.
In cooperation with the Mekong Sessions, Exotissimo Travel will, in the very near future, be offering special Leonard Cohen concert and tour packages for fans eager to experience the concert of a lifetime in the Kingdom of Wonder. Leonard Cohen fans travelling from anywhere around the world can purchase tickets, flights, accommodation and tours in a single package designed to ensure first time visitors, Southeast Asia lovers or expatriates maximise their enjoyment of this momentous event.

This hidden gem is a small island located off Vietnam’s southern coast. Pristine marine life surrounds Con Dao and there is no hustle and bustle here except the fisherman’s market first thing in the morning. This island paradise is a short flight from Ho Chi Minh City and at present the accommodation offered on the island is First Class (3-star). The end of 2010 should see the opening of the luxurious Six Senses Hideaway Con Dao which is sure to put a spotlight on this ideal holiday destination

Discover the historic monuments and architecture of this UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the Perfume River in Central Vietnam. On this tour travelers will cycle through the backstreets of Hue and explore the rich traditions and culture of this region. Meet friendly locals, have lunch with a Vietnamese family in the ancient village of Phuoc Tich in a 200 year old house. Note that the route takes place over flat terrain and is not too strenuous and can be enjoyed by those of all fitness levels.