We used this tour company last Dec, on our Diamond
Princess cruise from Singaporeto Sydney .
The 38 of us on the tour all agreed it was one of the
best private tours we have ever taken.
On the top of his website www.nhatrangrivertour.com is
a photo of our group
Cheers
Tanya tmullock@optusnet.com.au
We were on the same tour with wristband and we are in
total agreement . Pham is such an engaging person who
provides great service in his tours. It was raining when
we got there and he even provided us with yellow plastic
bags to put on our feet so our shoes wouldn't get mucky
as we walked about. I have fond memories of us all
walking around with yellow bags on our shoes. The
local people had a laugh on two with us!! Pham got us to
all the places we were supposed to go. Must have been a
hard thing to do with 21 adults!!!
You won't be sorry going with him . jdiacon@telusplanet.net
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our tour with you and
you were very professional and courteous to everyone in
our group. My wife kept bragging on the care and
respect you and your lovely wife took assisting the
elderly (especially the lady with the walker, we all
affectionately called 'Mum'). We
would like to add this was our favorite tour of our trip
Sincerely,
Ron & DeAnna Webber
betterbuys@aol.com
Madam Narelle with a group of 43 tourists ( The first
time with us ) murphy1525@gmail.com
Dear Dung,
Everyone enjoyed your tour very much and all had a good
time. Thank you for a good day and I will surely
recommend your company as it was from other fellow
travellers who had used you before that I got our email
address from
Once again thank you
Narelle.
-------------------------------------
Madam Narelle with 44 tourists ( The second time with
us ) murphy1525@gmail.com
A good trip had by all 44 pax in Nha Trang. Dung and his
wife were very helpful to the aged or disabled people
which really showed how kind these people were. I
highly recommend this tour company as twice round we
were given a day to remember
Dear DUNG
THANKS AGAIN FOR A WONDERFUL TRIP. EVERYONE THOROUGHLY
enjoyed you tour. Everyone couldn't stop talking about
it and what a good day they had. I was very glad
everyone had a good time. I was very tired the next day
as it was a big day for me now that I find it difficult
to walk because of the stroke but I wouldn't have missed
doing it for the world. Thank you once again for the
gift. Say hello to your wife for me. She is very kind.
Hopefully next time I come you will have a new addition
to the family.
Regards,
Narelle
I worked with Mr. Dung Pham for over a year coordinating
an April 2013 Cruise Critic group of 80 passengers. He
understood completely that we wanted to go in small
groups, not large ones and that we did not want to be
bunched up. He did a great job with this and the smaller
buses allowed us to go down narrow lanes and driveways.
I loved seeing the every day life of the hat makers, mat
weavers, orphanage life and the rice paper operation.
Being able to tour the small home of the hat makers was
truly amazing and gave us a real glimpse of how they
live. All of the stops we made were well chosen and I
truly enjoyed them. Our lunch stop was also very good
and the food was great, nice variety. Communication was
very good, bathroom stops well chosen, buses in good
condition with working air. Pick up at the port was
inside the port area as promised and he was on time and
all buses were waiting for us. We arrived back at the
ship at the appropriate time.
My one suggestion would be that you book the smaller
vehicles but not fill them completely. Allow yourself
some extra seats so people can spread out. It would be
worth the additional cost to be able to spread out a
bit. There is storage above the seats for purchases
including your conical hat. Vietnam is hot, Nha Trang
was beautiful. I can recommend his company with no
hesitation. I had originally planned on using his
services for a 2012 cruise port visit but had to cancel
due to an injury. Another passenger on that sailing
quickly stepped in and Mr. Dung Pham completely
understood and worked with the other person to
everyone's satisfaction. There are lots of positive
reviews for him on the cruise critic web site.
Our group just spent an eye opening day with Mr. Pham.
We saw life as it actually is. Our cruise critic group
group secured Mr. Phams service, after reviewing the
good reviews he had received. His communication was good
with the group leader as well as the members. The sights
were amazing and he took the necessay care to make sure
this tour would be rememberable. As others had mentioned
the orphanage was a high point of the tour. Just seeing
the care the monks were giving these kids was moving. If
you are thinking of doing this tour, you might want to
get some inexpensive gifts for the kids, Those of us
that did were literally mobbed when started to
distribute the gifts. However, alot of our group just
gave a donation which was appreciated.
Visited April 2013 posted by rachaelsmom1@gmail.com
A small group of us booked a tour to the waterfalls with
dung Pham in October,2013. we had enjoyed the
countryside tour with him twoyears ago and this
excursion was just as wonderful. Booking the excursion
on line with Dung Pham was very easy.He responds to
emails very promptly and is clear about what he can
offer.
He was waiting for us at the dock when we arrived and
had a nice air conditioned bus waiting for us with a
great driver.Pham hosted the group and was very good
pointing out highlights along the drive to the
waterfall.as we made many stops for pictures,swim in the
hot pools,cultural show,he was meticulous about keeping
watch on everyone and helping when necessary.Lunch was
delightful and a good time was had by all. We were back
to the ship at the scheduled time and even fit in a stop
at the embroidery factory where many beautiful gifts
were purchased.
As I said two years ago,I have no hesitation
recommending Pham and his tour company.Extremely well
organized and great value for the dollar.
lwilsondanells@gmail.com
-------------------------------------
Dear Dung Pham,
I must say joining your tour is one of the best
decisions we've made in our Asian cruise. We did not
expect you to fill up the several hours we had in Nha
Trang with such a full itinerary. It was very touching
to see the orphans playing so happily even without a
single toy. The 82 year old gentle soul who runs it
reminds me so much of Mother Teresa. The lunch at the
covered deck facing the river was sumptuous! The
setting was peaceful and quiet and we had the whole deck
to ourselves. Food was quickly served and we were
treated with fresh local fish and a simple seafood
hotpot and of course, fruits. The visits to see rice
paper and conical hats and all kinds of mats being made
were an eye opener as we saw mother, grandmother and
children making a living at the back of their own
houses. The visit to the ancient house was also very
special. The furniture is made from what seems like
thousand year old trees. What a welcome relief to be
seated under the cool canopy of the house after a hot
day in the sun as assorted fruits and tea were already
prepared on the table for us!
Thank you Dung Pham, we felt very special and you've
provided us with memories of a lifetime! yugrace2010@gmail.com
-------------------------------------
18 tourists guided by Dung Pham trishwhite55@live.com
What a great time we had on this full day tour! We
visited mat weavers, conical hat makers,(3 hours to make
and only $2) and rice paper makers (used in making food
rolls), We visited an orphanage, beautiful, happy and
clean kiddies. We gave them some pens paper, and bits
and pieces we had bought from home for them. We also
visited a beautiful embroidery factory and saw the
historic Cham towers. We could not have asked for more!.
-------------------------------------
We took a tour by Mr Dung Pham, great fun but
informative and knowledgeable. Our tour bus was small
enough that we could be driven to locations that weren't
accessible by the bigger buses. There were 18 of us, and
we highly recommend this service.
-------------------------------------
Have just been on a twenty eight day Holland America
cruise from Sydney to Hong Kong . Have taken private
excursions at all the ports. This excursion was far and
away the best not only of this cruise but of all 24
previous cruises I've taken. Pham is not only
knowledgeable but funny as well. He takes everything
into account and accommodates special needs and requests
as well. His services are extremely reasonably priced. I
give him the highest of ratings. If you want a truly
professional tour guide with no surprises or hassles
then choose to tour with Pham.
w.w.w.nhatrangrivertour.com philadest@yahoo.com
If you are looking for a guide in Nha Trang use Dung
Pham of www.nhatrangrivertour.com - phamtours@yahoo.com.
I cannot recommend him highly enough. He took our group
everywhere that was planned which included a fabulous
riverside lunch.
There was never any stress about getting back to the
ship late as he has the timing down to a fine art.
Try him - you won't be disappointed.
lizandnorm@darlingranges.com
-------------------------------------
38 tourists guided by Dung Pham
Thank you for your email. We had a fabulous day on 21st April with
your group. We certainly would recommend the tour to
future travelers. It was a good mixture of culture and
sight seeing. Thank you for putting together such a
pleasurable day for us.
Mrs Redraggo. UK jonange@ntlworld.com
-------------------------------------
Yes we loved your tour, in fact we are still talking about it. What
a fun day and a fun lunch. We are still on our cruise, 6
days to cross the Pacific ocean to Alaska . We love the
cone hats, the rice noodles, people were so friendly,
maybe at the orphanage you could set it up for us to
purchase noodles or some food for them, we felt we
should have given some food or some money for food. The
kids were so cute. Thanks again for a great day, we
would love to come back to Nha Trang some days and try
the beach. Pam and Jack Kuchera kucheraa@aol.com
-------------------------------------
Hi Dung Pham,
Just a short note to say that we enjoyed the tour very
much and that the guide was knowledgeable and good.
Would definitely recommend the tour to others.
Thanks for everything.
Edith edith.john@bigpond.com
-------------------------------------
My husband and I just returned this week from doing the
cruise you have planned. Loved every minute of it!! Do
consider the private tour in Vietnam . We booked one
with Nha Trang River Tour and had the life changing
experience of going to an orphanage. The children were
amazing and so happy to have guests!! We requested to be
a group of 20. Perfect size. eartman123@yahoo.com
-------------------------------------
38 tourists delstalburg@hotmail.com
Dear Dung Pham
We went on the trip with Zoe and Kelvin. We had a great
time and thought the trip was very good value. I will
recommend your trip to our friends.
Regards
Del and Lynn
-------------------------------------
janeannevans1@btinternet.com
This was a great day out. a fantastic guide, visited an
embroidery factory, an orphanage, various industries,
noodle making, rush mat weaving, conical hat making, had
a lovely lunch by the river in a very clean and
welcoming restaurant, visited a pagoda, a real good
value for money day, in a lovely air...
-------------------------------------
41 tourists fsilverman@cruiseshipcenters.com
Thank you Dung.. we got home late last night … enjoyed
it all….
Fran Silverman - Burday
Cruise and Vacation Specialist
-------------------------------------
suelowery@hotmail.com 41 tourists
Dung -
I had a terrific time on the shore excursion in Nha
Trang and will gladly recommend you to others. Many
thanks again for a great day in Nha Trang!
Sue Lowery
-------------------------------------
benliss@cox.net
Dear Mr. Pham,
My wife and I had a wonderful time on Feb. 22 , 2012 and
thank you so much for your patience, kindness and
efficiency. We saw so much and could not have done so
in such short time without your efforts. Thank you again
and I wish you the very best.
David Ben Liss
-------------------------------------
I would echo the recs on Mr. Pham's nhatrangrivertour
Posters above nailed the points visited, the orphanage
is one such stop. There is a web site posted at the
orphanage which affords the opportunity to contribute
after the visit. Kids seemed to like lollipops some in
our group handed out but pencils or class room materials
might be a better if you are inclined to give something
tangible. Cash is appreciated as the nuns can choose how
to best spend it on the orphans. Mr. Pham's tour was
excellent and the day was one of the highlights of our
Asian cruise!
-------------------------------------
pmmh@comcast.net
What a great time we had on this full day tour! We
visited some of the cottage industries - mat weavers,
conical hat makers, and rice paper makers (used in
making food rolls), We visited an orphanage, had lunch
at a riverside restaurant, We also visited a beautiful
embroidery factory and saw the historic Cham towers. We
could not have asked for more!.
-------------------------------------
28 tourists guided
by Mr Dung Pham janetwakeham@ic24.net
We also used Mr. Dung Pham for our Nha Trang Tour .
Great tour guide who took us around Nha Trang to give us
a good sampling of the attractions and life in Nha Trang
along. We would recommend them highly.
Janet
------------------------------------
eviemooney@yahoo.co.uk
Hi: I've just got back to my home address and found
your e-mail. I don't bother with e-mails whilst I am on
holiday. My husband and I did enjoy the tour very much
and found your guide to be very knowledgeable and
charming. Her English is very good. Please pass on my
thanks to her. I think we saw a little glimpse of the
life of the people in the countryside around Nha Trang.
The restaurant was authentic and food light and tasty.
The toilets were a little messy by Western standards
but I have had to use worse. Overall the tour was
excellent and I would be happy to recommend your
company.
Best wishes,
Evelyn & Kevin Mooney
Bristol , UK
------------------------------------
an@star-polska.com.pl
Dear Mr Dung,
Briefly-Everything was well organized we were
impressed. Your country marvelous and the trip exciting.
We enjoyed it so much. Especially thanks to our
guide, she was professional and very open to us. Pass
very warm regards from us to her and tell -she was like
a Good Ghost for us, she will stay in our best memories
from all those ours cruise trips- again we
appreciated very much. Some of us will come back to
Vietnam , myself with our kids to Vinpearl. It will be
great pleasure to meet you again. For your information I
will strongly recommend you to the Warsaw travel office
Marco Polo as a serious partner for further polish
visitors coming with this travel agency to Nha Trang .
Artur with Polish Group
------------------------------------
We were on a ship that stopped at Nha Trang and arranged
a tour through Dung Pham. What a great day we had! They
picked us up on the dock after we tendered in and our
first stop was the embroidery factory. I at first got
concerned that we were going to be trapped in hard sells
throughout the day, NOT SO. The factory was very
interesting and I still am amazed at the tiny stitching
we saw upstairs. Next stop was a temple overlooking the
river and it was quite interesting, gave a really good
view of the river as it flowed into the ocean. We got to
go to an orphanage to see some small children in school
where we dropped off some donation supplies we had
brought. We even got to meet the 80 year old creator of
the orphanage. Then it was lunch on the river on an open
air patio. The rain came while we were eating but we
stayed dry and the meal was very good though they did
include some french fires with the rice, fish and soup?
We then went by a large Budha, visited a conical hat
making factory then a rice paper and noodle making
factory. This was done while driving back roads through
the rice fields. Our day ended with a stop at the indoor
market PHEW! A busy day and very interesting.
-----------------------------------
29 tourists neil@farmtec.biz
Just to let you know we really enjoyed your trip. It was
very informative and good value for money. Your
representative was also helpful and we also enjoyed the
meal provided at the riverside cafe.
Many thanks again.
Neil & Lesley Bartholomew
-----------------------------------
We had over 40 people take the full day tour. Yes, we
had to provide passport info. It's required another
country's procedures. Many of us said that it was the
best tour of all taken. We saw the countryside on our
travels to the stops: local small enterprises: hat
weaving, rice noodles, embroidery. We had lunch outdoors
on a patio over the river. Food was great! We visited
an orphanage. The children were lovely. (Take any school
supplies you can fit in your luggage with you, your bag
will have room for the souvenirs you buy on the cruise,
right?) Mr. Pham was most attentive to our group.
Five stars!
Janet notesfromjh@yahoo.com
-----------------------------------
Everybody in 5 groups led by Pauline Hall , Karen
Perales, Leslie Wilson, Larry Faragher , Barbara was
so pleased. lwilsondanells@gmail.com
The tour was well planned and proved to be a highlight
for our entire cruise. The embroidery factory was
beautiful. We saw the children in the orphanage, visited
a number of families in their home and watched them
doing their craft, including hat making, mat weaving,
rice paper making and others. Lunch was spectacular in a
lovely restaurant on the river. The van was comfortable
and had good air conditioning. The driver and the guide
were excellent. Below is the description of the full
tour and contact information for Dung Pham.
www.nhatrangrivertour.com
Leslie Wilson
-----------------------------------
We were in Nha Trang on Oct. '11. There were 3 groups
(10 - 12 people in each), who participated in the Nha
Trang Special Countryside tours, booked through Dung
Pham. Each group had a different English-speaking guide
- all of which were excellent. We were all able to
travel in comfortable, air-conditioned vans. The
feedback from participants was excellent. Our groups of
highly experienced travelers, really appreciated the
opportunity to see the real Viet Nam !
As for the weather, it was HOT! Humid, too. Can you
imagine how delightful it was, when our guide walked us
into the courtyard of the Buddhist orphanage, and Mr.
Dung Pham was there, handing out bottles of icy water &
frozen face cloths? That was just one example of the
excellent service we received. I would definitely
recommend this tour operator!
Karen Perales peralka@msn.com
-----------------------------------
schuettinger@cox.net
Mr. Dung, even though it was raining, our group of 12
had a wonderful time. We were able to see how the
average Vietnamese families live. The embroidery factory
was amazing and the skill of the women creating the
beautiful art in silk was just fascinating. Seeing how
well the orphans were cared for made our hearts glad.
The stop at the ancient house with its native outdoor
furniture and the tea ceremony with cakes was an
unexpected treat. The guide helped me to purchase some
pearls in the Dam Market which was greatly appreciated.
I would highly recommend your tour to anyone who is
interested in seeing the “real” Vietnam .
Sincerely,
Sandra Schuettinger
USA
-----------------------------------
James Cruising Retired Army ( the second time on the
same tour ) Jjamess40@aol.com
I have used Dung Pham services twice when
I was private shore excursions in Nha Trang. Both times
we had to provide all the above information prior to our
cruise. Mr Pham has a very good tour set up I was the
travel group leader from my last cruise and I took 26
people on this private shore excursion. I had to go to
each person and get all the information and sent it the
Vietnam .
-----------------------------------
gary.dean.h@gmail.com
When I booked a tour with www.nhatrangrivertour.com
I had second thoughts. I thought what if they don't
show up? What if I am late and they leave? The tour went
off without a hitch and it was fantastic. Mr Huy gave us
a real insight into Vietnam and it was one of the best
tours we have ever been on. Our guide really cared about
us having a great experience. He constantly took our
picture and during lunch he had the driver order while
he showed us other things during the 15 minute wait for
the food. I felt that was above and beyond the call of
duty. Highly recommended.
Gary Hirata
-----------------------------------
My group also used Mr Dung Pham in June 2011 There were
just 6 of us (4 adults and 2 kids) We had a fabulous
time. He was good. The Buddhist orphanage was a great
place to visit. My kids were scared stiff. Haha. I told
them I would leave them there next time, if they weren't
good.
-----------------------------------
racheltan.singapore@gmail.com
Dear Dung Pham,
Thank you for your email. Your guide took us around on 6
Jun 2011 and our family enjoyed the private tour very
much. It was a terribly hot day and we got off the first
tender, and the ship had arrived one hour earlier. We
waited a while for the guide as we were early, but
thankfully he showed up soon as it was so hot! We
enjoyed the guide's commentary, and the places he
brought us to, especially the noodle making factory. We
were also glad that there were no obligations to
purchase any products although we did give the orphanage
and the conical hats maker a substantial sum. The van
was very comfortable and the guide spoke good English.
We will recommend your tour company strongly to others.
Thank you.
Regards
Rachel
-----------------------------------
Dear Mr. Pham,
You created a marvelous tour for us. We really saw how
the people live and loved the lunch. We'll always
recommend your tour. It is unique!! I'm thankful we took
it.
With kind regards,
Judy Benson clark_t_benson@yahoo.com
----------------------------------
Hello Mr Pham
The tour itself was fantastic and we enjoyed all the
stops along the way. We thought it was excellent value
and greatly enjoyed lunch. We would have no hesitation
in recommending your tour.
Kind regards to you and your lovely wife,
Annette and Ray Latter thelatters@bigpond.com
--------------------------------
Hello Mr Dung Pham
We thoroughly enjoyed our day with you and the rest of
the group. Especial highlights was the river-side lunch
and the morning tea in the 'local's house. The mat
weaving and the conical hat making were excellent too,
as was the embroidery factory and the rice noodle
factory. It was all excellent, as was your and your
wife's care for us all and my elderly mother (the lady
with the walker called 'Mum") . I
have posted a good recommendation for your tour and hope
this helps with ongoing business - which you most
honorably deserve. Please accept our very best wishes
for a happy and prosperous future,
Helen & John Brookfield - Australia
helenbrookfield@msn.com
--------------------------------
would like to say we thoroughly enjoyed your tour of Nha
Trang And what an excellent, friendly and informative
guide. Happy to recommend your company to any
interested travelers (just ask them to email me).
Regards
Stephen steve@oimages.co.uk
--------------------------------
Nha Trang is a coastal city on the south central coast
of Vietnam well known for its pristine beaches and
friendly people. In recent years it has become an
important tourist hub for cruise ships, one of which we
were traveling on. We took a chance and contacted the
Nha Trang River Tour to arrange for a more private and
personal offering of Nha Trang. It turned out to be one
of our better decisions in our recent Southeast Asia
vacation. Pham Tours is a mom and pop tour company
owned by a Mr. Dung Pham, but don't be deceived by its
small size. It offers first class services. Being
locally owned, Mr. Pham has established working
relationships with many of Nha Trang's attractions.
These arrangements provide unique opportunities for his
guests to explore intimately the people and the
processes involved in producing such iconic Vietnamese
goods as silk embroideries, conical hats, rice noodles,
earthen stoves, and rush mats. A short ride into the
countryside will provide never to be forgotten sights
such as a two centuries old traditional home, rice
paddies, fishing villages, and temples. Back in town
other choices included the quintessential market place,
numerous restaurants featuring local cuisines, and five
star hotels lining the 3-mile long seaside Tran Phu
Street . In short, whatever anyone might like to see and
experience in Nha Trang can be accommodated by Mr. Dung
Pham and his company. After deciding what we wanted to
see in Nha Trang, making our arrangements with Pham
Tours proved to be simple. Mr. Pham was always prompt to
reply and communications was never a problem. Returning
to the dock in time for our departure was never in
doubt. Although small in size, they are sure to provide
a quality service at a fair price.
--------------------------------
We recently toured Nha Trang. We were a little unsure of
this port, so I did a search and found that Dung
from www.nhatrangrivertour.com seemed to be very
highly recommended. We ended booking with him via his
website, and everything went very smoothly via email
from the start. Due to a change in numbers, our tour was
slightly changed from the one we booked as was the
meeting arrangements, but again all this was agreed to
before arriving and all arrangements went very smoothly.
Our itinerary included a visit to an embroidery factory,
a rice noodle making family/home business, another rice
paper/family home business, a conical hat making family,
a visit to a typical Vietnamese house, lunch, a visit to
local orphanage, a visit to a local temple, and visit to
a local market, before finally returning to our tender
port well in time for our return. While Dung himself
didn't take the tour (he was busy with another tour but
we did end up meeting him at lunch), both the driver and
tour guide were excellent, and made the tour great fun.
The tour guide's English was excellent. The tour itself
was amazing. I initially thought why would I want to see
a rice noodle making family, or a conical hat making
lady, but everything was so interesting. The thing that
made it so amazing was meeting real local Vietnamese
people in their traditional environment, and seeing the
contrast between our own lives and theirs. The
Vietnamese people were so friendly and welcoming, and
the country side we drove through was just so beautiful.
Vietnam is an amazing country, and her people so
friendly. So much so, that we want to go back to Vietnam
and spend more time there. This is in part due to the
wonderful tour that Dung arranged for us, and Nha Trang
became one of the highlights our our cruise. Along with
many others, we highly recommend Dung for any of your
tour requirements in Nha Trang.
--------------------------------
18 American tourists proactiv@pacbell.net
Nha Trang was a real pleasant surprise and one of the
best trips while on our Asia cruise. Our tour with Nha
Trang River Tour included a combination of the
countryside and the city tour with a visit to the silk
embroidery store, the pagoda, a visit to the Ancient
House, a rush mat weaving place, the orphanage plus
lunch on the river! At the orphanage, I donated a play
parachute and the kids went wild over it! It was a
GREAT combination of every thing we wanted to see and
the swim in the ocean wasn't bad either! We LOVED Nha,
our local tour guide and he spoke PERFECT English! I
recommend Nha Trang River Tour as your personal guide
while you're visiting here.
Julie Wong
Mr Pham more than 10 years ago in yellow behind his
beloved tourists
