Frequently Asked Questions - Absolute Asia Travel

1. Do Indian travelers need a visa to visit Phu Quoc Island?

No, not if they stay on the island only. Indian nationals can stay on Phu Quoc Island for up to 30 days without a visa. This applies to all nationalities, including Indian passport holders.

2. What are the conditions for the visa-free entry?

There are three conditions, and all must be met:

1. Arrive in Phu Quoc directly from an international destination, by air or sea. Direct flights or international transit only.
2. Stay on Phu Quoc Island for the entire trip.
3. Depart Vietnam from Phu Quoc as well.

Travelers should also carry a confirmed onward ticket showing departure within 30 days.

3. Once in Phu Quoc visa-free, can travelers continue to mainland Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, etc.)?

No. This is the most common misunderstanding, so let’s be clear: the visa-free entry is strictly limited to the island itself, and Indian nationals cannot travel to mainland Vietnam under this exemption. Phu Quoc is the start and end point. There is no “upgrade” on arrival.

4. What if the itinerary includes both Phu Quoc and mainland Vietnam?

Then a visa is needed for the whole trip. Anyone planning any travel to mainland Vietnam must hold a valid Vietnam visa, even if Phu Quoc Island is the main destination. The good news: the Vietnam e-Visa makes this simple.

5. What about flights connecting through Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to reach Phu Quoc?

This route needs a visa. Travelers cannot rely on the visa-free arrangement if their route takes them through another international airport in Vietnam or through a domestic transfer that requires immigration checks. In practice, if your client lands in Ho Chi Minh City and takes a domestic flight to Phu Quoc, they pass through Vietnamese immigration on the mainland, so the exemption does not apply. Transiting through international hubs outside Vietnam, such as Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, without entering mainland Vietnam is fine.

6. How do Indian travelers get a Vietnam e-Visa?

Apply online at the official government portal (evisa.gov.vn). The e-Visa is available to all nationalities including Indians, is valid for up to 90 days, and comes in single-entry or multiple-entry options. It covers airports, land borders and seaports. We recommend applying at least 7 to 10 working days before departure.

Alternatively, we can help with regular evisa, urgent evisa service or push evisa service.

7. What happens if someone enters Phu Quoc visa-free and then tries to travel to the mainland anyway?

It is a serious problem. A traveler who enters under the island-only exemption and continues to the mainland without authorization faces the same immigration consequences as someone overstaying a visa. The Indian Embassy has warned this can trigger immigration issues, delays in medical access, and movement restrictions. Do not risk it.

8. Our recommendation as a local DMC

If there is any chance the itinerary touches the mainland, get the e-Visa from the start. It costs little, takes a few days, and removes all risk. Save the visa-free option for pure beach holidays where clients fly in and out of Phu Quoc directly.

Once your customers have landed in Phu Quoc without evisa and would like to apply for mainland visa, it costs a huge amount to get one, so get them to prepared in advance.

Yes. Photography in or near military installations, airports or similar locations is prohibited. Anyone caught doing so will have the film, and possibly the camera or camcorder, confiscated and may be arrested.

Yes. However, exporting an artifact with cultural significance requires an official license. Without a license, anything old is liable to be confiscated at the airport.

No, you don’t if you travel to popular cities in Vietnam. However, it is advisable that precautionary measures be taken against cholera, malaria, hepatitis A & B, typhoid and tuberculosis.

• Cultural (5)

1. Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Hanoi (2010)
2. Citadel of the Ho Dynasty (2011)
3. Complex of Hue Monuments (1993)
4. Hoi An Ancient Town (1999)
5. My Son Sanctuary (1999)

• Natural (2)

1. Ha Long Bay (1994, 2000)
2. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (2003, 2015)

• Mixed (1)

1. Trang An Landscape Complex (2014)

Besides these 7 World Heritage Sites, there are also other UNESCO recognized heritages in Vietnam. These are:

Hue Royal Court Music – recognized as World Oral History Treasure and Intangible Culture in 2003
Tay Nguyen Gong Music – recognized as masterpiece of the oral and intangible culture of humanity in 2005
Bac Ninh “Quan Ho” Folk Singing – recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009
Ca Tru Singing – recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009
Xoan Singing – recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011

Other sites in Vietnam are listed as World Biosphere reserve: Can Gio Mangrove (2000), Cat Tien national park (2001), Mui Ca Mau (2009), Cham Island (2009)

Hanoi
Vietnam’s capital and the main gateway, with direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai. A compact Old Quarter, the Ho Chi Minh complex, cyclo rides, and great street food. Indian restaurants are easy to find. Works as a 2-night start before Halong Bay. Suits families and first-timers.

Halong Bay
The signature of every Vietnam itinerary. Nearly 2,000 limestone islands, best seen on an overnight cruise with kayaking, cave visits, and sunset on deck. Most premium cruise lines we work with prepare Indian vegetarian and Jain meals with advance notice. One night is enough; two nights for a slower pace. Strong for honeymoons and multi-generation families.

Danang
The easiest sell in the Indian market right now. Direct flights from major Indian cities, the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills, My Khe beach, and big family resorts. Add Hoi An, 35 km away, for lanterns and 24-hour tailoring. A 4 to 5 night Danang and Hoi An combo is our most requested Indian family package.

Hoi An Covered above. The short version: lantern town, car-free streets, basket boat tour, lantern boat trip, tailor-made clothes in 24 hours, vegetarian-friendly, beach 5 km away. Pairs with Danang.esk, in the same style as your earlier trade materials?

Nha Trang
Vietnam’s classic beach city. Long sandy beachfront, island hopping, mud baths, and VinWonders theme park across the bay, a full day of fun for kids. Plenty of large resorts that handle Indian groups, weddings, and MICE well. Good value compared to other Asian beach destinations.

Phu Quoc
Vietnam’s island for honeymoons, destination weddings, and incentive groups. Visa-free entry for stays up to 30 days, which removes paperwork for last-minute Indian bookings. White sand beaches, the world’s longest oversea cable car, sunset bars, and luxury resorts at sharp prices. Best from November to April.

I suggest you travel to Mui Ne, which is about 200 km (a 5-hour drive) to the northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. It is one of the most popular beach resorts in central Vietnam, with huge rolling dunes at the end of an 18 km white sand beach. There is a good range of hotels on the beach, some offering accommodation in bamboo villas and bungalows, and plenty of restaurants along the beach road, a mixture of Vietnamese and international.

Apart from Mui Ne, Phu Quoc and Nha Trang are also excellent destinations for Indian travelers.

Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest island, a short 1-hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City. It offers white sand beaches, calm seas, island-hopping by speedboat, the world’s longest oversea cable car to Hon Thom Island, plus family attractions such as VinWonders theme park, Vinpearl Safari and Grand World. There is a wide choice of beachfront resorts, and Indian restaurants are available on the island.

Nha Trang is Vietnam’s most famous coastal city, with a beautiful 6 km city beach, nearby islands for snorkeling and diving, mud baths and hot springs, and the VinWonders entertainment complex on Hon Tre Island. It is well connected by direct flights and offers everything from city hotels to luxury island resorts.

Our tour guides are well trained, experienced and certificated as a International Tour Guide, granted by Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. We monitor feedback and if their feedback rates fall below 8/10. we will not use that guide till improvement.

Yes, you’re in control of your time during the tour with us and we allow the balance of touring time and free time so you will enjoy the tour at its best.

We run modern, air-conditioned cars, minibuses and coaches across all our tours in Vietnam. Every vehicle carries a cooler with chilled drinking water, and our drivers are selected for safe driving and strong local road knowledge. As a working rule, we assign a vehicle one size larger than the group needs, so your clients always travel with room to spare.

One important note before the numbers: on smaller vehicles, the local guide always sits in the front passenger seat. So the real question is never “how many seats”, it is “how many guests plus luggage plus guide”. The table below answers exactly that.

Capacity by Vehicle Type

4-seater sedan (Toyota Vios / Altis class)
For 1 to 2 guests with luggage. Guide sits up front, guests in the rear, and the boot takes 1 to 2 large bags maximum. Our standard car for couples, solo travelers and airport transfers.

7-seater MPV / SUV (Toyota Innova / Fortuner class)
For 2 to 3 guests with luggage. The last row of seats is normally folded down for bags. A comfortable choice for couples with extra luggage or a small family.

9-seater van
For 5 to 6 guests with luggage when a guide travels along. Honest note: this van gets tight with large Indian suitcases, so if your group packs heavy, we recommend the 16-seater instead.

16-seater minivan (Ford Transit class)
Our most flexible vehicle, ideal for 4 to 8 guests with full luggage. Overhead racks plus rear storage. This is the workhorse for family groups, and we also use it as the support vehicle on cycling tours.

29-seater coach (Hyundai County class)
For 9 to 15 guests with luggage. Undercarriage storage, with the guide seated next to the driver.

35-seater coach
For 16 to 22 guests with luggage. A good fit for large family groups and wedding parties.

45-seater coach
For 23 to 40 guests with luggage. The largest storage in our fleet, with room for both a local guide and your accompanying tour leader.

Luggage Baseline

Plan on this allowance per adult traveler:

1. One large check-in bag, around 76×48 cm (the 78x50x30 cm size, roughly 32 kg, is the most common with Indian groups)
2. One cabin bag, 55x40x20 cm, around 7 kg

For sedans and MPVs, the safe working rule is one large suitcase per occupied seat.

If the Group Exceeds the Baggage Allowance

If clients travel with more than the baseline allowance, we reserve the right to add a second van or a luggage truck at a supplement. This charge is settled by the booking agency or directly by the clients. We do this for one reason only: nobody enjoys a 4-hour drive with a suitcase on their lap.

Our Advice to Partners

Tell us the exact pax count and bag count when you send the booking. Our team will recommend the right vehicle for your group based on local road conditions and the itinerary. When in doubt, we size up.

For people with wheelchairs, we will need some very special care, especially with transportation, as well as at some sites with tough grounds. Normally a private transport is arranged and a porter at some sites is needed.  Please contact our consultants to have had some experience in these cases.

Once the official payment has been made, changes in tour details should be requested via email (info@absoluteasiatravel.com or email of the staff processing your booking), and is subject to a surcharge of hotels and restaurants (depending on each case). Possibility of reservation amendments is also subject to service availability of our suppliers (hotels, restaurants and other)

For shared rooms with their parents, normally a child under 4 years old is free of charge. If an extra bed for your child is needed it would result in some additional costs.  We recommend you to arrange a private tour just for your family, thus giving you and your family more room and comfort during van transportation and flexibility in your tour itinerary.  It is the best to consult with your doctors before you bring your newborns or infants traveling to Vietnam.  Before traveling, please talk with our consultants to figure out how you will manage all the baby gear at all the sites.