Commitments & Policy

Commitments & Policy

Commitments

The following are our commitments. Be sure to see our Sales terms and Services policy.

9Dragons is not a travel agent. We only offer services rendered by TransMékong and affiliates in Cần Thơ and in the Mekong delta, and natural extensions to these.

Towards responsible services

Fair terms

9Dragons is committed to responsible tourism.

We endeavour to share the benefits of tourism with the society of the Mekong delta and our locality.

  • For many services we collaborate with local families and individuals:
    • Meals at local farmers' homes complement their revenue and allow them more freedom from their crops,
  • Most services of 9Dragons are self-supplied or contracted with local suppliers:
    • we prefer to supply locally even if it means more training and coaching.
    • we engage in long-term partnerships with our suppliers, and focus on our common development.
    • we supply from local companies in the delta.
  • 9Dragons itself is a part of TransMékong, a family company based in Cần Thơ, at the heart of the Mekong delta, who takes part in the development of the region.
    • We contribute part of our revenue to charity projects in the Mekong delta.

Our commitments above come first, before our constant search for cost-effective means to provide quality services.

Preservation of traditions and the environment

We take part in the preservation of local traditions and environment by:

  • adding value to the local know-how and products,
  • highlighting the value of the traditional ways –rowing vs. motorboats, construction materials– to the inhabitants as well as to the visitors,
  • fostering good habits through the interaction between the inhabitants and the visitors,
  • optimizing transportation, road or river, and moving only on foot and bicycle where practical.

Spontaneity without intrusion

When on an excursion, we endeavour to keep our groups unintrusive by:

  • keeping the size of groups small,
  • scheduling visits with flexibility about the local working hours,
  • preparing the guides for mediation, fostering dialogue rather than talking instead of or about the residents, and to give priority to the residents when on a visit.

Communication

Agents

We work very well with the best travel agents, so to ensure seamless services, please be sure to first ask your agent for our services.

No Nonsense

We abide by our No Nonsense promise. In a world where communication all too often replaces action, we are not satisfied with only words.

  • We make our commitments and prices clear and keep them,
  • We are honest even if we do not like what we have to say,
  • We make amends if we make a mistake or are ever hypocritical,
  • We welcome constructive discussion.

Feedback

The most efficient way to give us feedback is to let our team know about your impressions. Encouragements and remarks are more vivid and efficient when the team relates directly with them. We expect them to report so we can share the experience. Please see our commitments about communication.

If you would rather otherwise, please simply write to feedback@transmekong.com, and think of giving us sufficient details and context so we can make our services better in the future.

Privacy

We refrain from providing any third parties with the information you entrusted us with, except:

  • When registering your passage with the competent authorities
  • the information relevant to your present trip that are necessary for our partners to perform their services for this trip
  • in case of an express requirement by the competent authorities

Right to edition

We grant you free access to all information you entrusted us with, by a simple e-mailed request. Write to us to receive a copy of your file at your registered e-mail address. You will have an opportunity to rectify any erroneous information.

Proper use

We refrain from using the information you entrusted us with with a view to anything else than proper management of our relationship./

Services policy

This policy applies to all services rendered by 9Dragons. For overnight accommodation, please refer to the conditions of accommodation of each place.

Families

We are happy to welcome younger guests and, for the services rendered by 9Dragons, we offer soft terms for the price of additional children as follows.

under 5 years-old 0 Infants and small children are welcome for free
5 to 11 years-old 50% Children under 12 only pay half the price

The adults in a group take responsibility for the children. 9Dragons reserves the right to decline booking any group with more infants than adults or twice as many children as adults.

For cycling tours we can arrange a kid seat for young kids under 20 kg upon request. Please note that the number of kid seats available is limited.

Activities outside

We are careful to include bottled water for each participant to any outside activity.

The programs of all services involving boats may vary depending on the tide and current.

Extras, Options and Extensions

Please be sure to inform us in advance if you wish to make extras available on the date of our services, or book options or extensions.

Extras, options and extensions are offered at a premium.

The prices indicated here are valid until 31 Oct 2016.

Extras

Extras are typically available without specific booking.

A selection of drinks is made available on board for lunch and dinner.

Options

The options take place on board or along the services without affecting their schedule. They are booked together with the main service.

Local English-speaking guide 405 000đ per half-day

Extensions

Extensions take place before or after the main service, and therefore imply some scheduling. They are booked and scheduled together with the main services.

Extensions mean scheduling and may entail road transfer or extending the operations of boats, which carry their own cost.

Shuttle

TransMékong makes available a shuttle between Hồ Chí Minh City's District 1, and Cần Thơ or Cái Bè, at the point of boarding and disembarkation. The shuttle services are open to clients of TransMekong services (9Dragons, Bassac) or Nam Bo Boutique Hotel, subject to availability.

The Shuttle Meeting point may change in time.

The departure time from the meeting point are stated in the booking confirmation. It may change, especially on public holidays, to avoid delays on arrival.

Typical departure time from HCMC back to HCMC
Cần Thơ 08:00 13:30
Cái Bè 08:30 11:00

We may open the last seats for the public at the last minute.

Third party services

TransMékong / 9Dragons is not a travel agent, but may occasionally act as an agent for a specific service from a third party that singularly complements TransMékong / 9Dragons services. In that case, TransMékong takes a margin from this agency and the terms and conditions of the third party apply to the client as they would to TransMékong.

Road transfer

TransMékong / 9Dragons makes use of vehicles from reputable local suppliers and ensure that the vehicles be in a good state of repair, properly registered with documents up-to-date, and the driver properly licensed.

Vehicles are allocated as follows:

Number of guests 1 - 2 3 - 4 5 - 10 11 +
Type of vehicle 4 seater 7 seater 16 seater 30 seater

If the transfer is part of the journey rather than an excursion and the passengers' luggage warrant so, TransMékong / 9Dragons may upgrade the type of vehicle to match the capacity and retaining the comfort of the guests.

Boat transfer

TransMékong / 9Dragons may act as an agent for local boat or speed-boat transfer services rendered by reputable local suppliers.

The terms and conditions of booking and services of these suppliers may vary with or without notice, due to operating constraints or to changes in the administrative rules as applicable. TransMékong / 9Dragons endeavours to keep the client informed in time about any foreseeable change.

In case a frontier is crossed:

  • it is the responsibility of the passengers to ensure they have available the necessary documentation, passports and visas or such, to be allowed to cross the frontier. TransMékong / 9Dragons shall not take any responsibility for the cost of repatriation or accommodation or so in case a passenger is refused passage.
  • the client acknowledges that TransMékong / 9Dragons has limited means of action on the remote side of the frontier and delegates the operations of the services to the supplier.