Vietnam forum

Hanoi kids tours

deco

motodop
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Hi!! How can i book a tour with Hanoi kids tour for next week..i try to do it online but i cant..
Thanks a lot!!

#1 Posted: 2/2/2012 - 10:47
daawgon

som tam seller
Posts: 552

Not possible to book with short notice, they need several weeks to advertise your request and get volunteers from the club

#2 Posted: 2/2/2012 - 13:08
deco

motodop
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thanks daawgon !!

#3 Posted: 2/2/2012 - 15:43
somtam2000

admin
mahout
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There is a piece on the Hanoi-blog about this mob, you can read it here. I've banned them from the forum because they are persistent spam merchants.

As has been pointed out elsewhere, these kids are operating unlicensed and so, at least in theory are illegal, but by and large, the reports are positive.

#4 Posted: 2/2/2012 - 17:58

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daawgon

som tam seller
Posts: 552

Big Brother, how can volunteers be illegal? HK is one of the finest activities for travelers in Hanoi , as are their brother clubs - Saigonhotpot and Danangkids. If only this world had more organizations like these student clubs! Many people find Hanoi to be unfriendly until they've met the students of Hanoikids.

#5 Posted: 2/2/2012 - 21:49
somtam2000

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@Daawgon

They're operating as a tourist guide (even if an informal one) and that apparently requires a license in Vietnam - regardless of there being money involved or not.

Danangkids likewise have been banned from TF for continual spamming - SaigonHotPot yet to find us I guess!

Cheers

#6 Posted: 2/2/2012 - 23:28

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ComeAndGoVi-
etnam

motodop
Posts: 24

Daawgon - they are illegal because they are doing a job that requires a licence, but they don't have licences. I'm sure they're very good at what they do & they offer a great service, but how would you feel if you were running a business and had invested a lot of time & money getting the requisite certification, only for someone to "volunteer" to do the same business for nothing & get away with it?

Also as the admin points out, they & other similar groups regularly tout their services here & on Tripadvisor, which is also illegal. For some reason Tripadvisor tolerates them & they get away with it - if I touted my services there (legally licenced services I might add) I'd be banned.

#7 Posted: 9/2/2012 - 02:29
daawgon

som tam seller
Posts: 552

CAGV - The purpose of this and other travel forums should be to inform the tourist of the best and brightest that a locale has to offer. What other group in Hanoi gives the tourist so much for so little + friendship in a strange foreign city? You are looking at this as a business, and I am looking on this as a traveler trying to aid my fellow travelers. When a commercial tour business offers the same free services that Hanoikids offers, I will be more than happy to speak of their tours also. Legality in Vietnam is something of a joke, is it not???

#8 Posted: 11/2/2012 - 14:20
ComeAndGoVi-
etnam

motodop
Posts: 24

"When a commercial tour business offers the same free services that Hanoikids offers, I will be more than happy to speak of their tours also."
??? So you're saying that we should all offer our services FOC? Free = good, paid = bad? You're joking right? Unbelievable.

"Legality in Vietnam is something of a joke, is it not???"
It is when someone is allowed to get away with unlicenced services free of charge, and even more so when naive travellers praise them for it.
edited by Somtam2000 for readability

#9 Posted: 11/2/2012 - 23:23
daawgon

som tam seller
Posts: 552

I thought this forum was non-commercial? Doesn't sound non-commercial to me this morning!

I'm quite proud of being naive

#10 Posted: 12/2/2012 - 14:01
somtam2000

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mahout
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OK, I'm going to tie this one off -- cheers all.

#11 Posted: 12/2/2012 - 16:45

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