Ha Giang Loop – Cao Bang Extension – 8 Days and 7 Nights Eco-Odyssey

TVPalm prepares every journey weeks before departure: guides, porters (where applicable), homestays, permits, meals, and local partners in Ha Giang, Yen Minh, Dong Van, Meo Vac, Cao Bang, Ban Gioc, and Ba Be. Many of these commitments are locked in early and cannot be reversed. This policy exists so guests understand what they are committing to, and so the local people who work with TVPalm do not carry the loss when a booking is cancelled at short notice.

Non-refundable Deposit: 30%

A non-refundable deposit of 30% of the total tour price is required to confirm the booking. Deposit must be paid within 72 hours of receiving the confirmed quotation. For bookings made within 30 days of departure, deposit is due immediately.

The deposit reflects early commitments with local Dao guides, homestay families (where applicable), and community partners. The deposit may be transferred to another TVPalm Adventure tour or a TVPalm Ecolodge stay within 6 months, provided written cancellation is received at least 15 days before the original departure date.

Cancellation Schedule

Time of cancellation is measured from the date TVPalm receives written notification at info@tvpalm.com.

Flexible Postponement

TVPalm encourages guests to postpone rather than cancel whenever possible.

• 15 days or more before departure: one free postponement within 6 months, subject to guide, weather, and community availability.
• 7 – 14 days before departure: postponement accepted with a 20% adjustment fee.
• Less than 7 days before departure: postponement subject to written approval; non-recoverable costs may apply.

Additional Requirements

• Insurance: Personal travel insurance covering motorbike riding, as rider or as passenger, is required for this tour. Proof must reach TVPalm at least 14 days before departure. Without valid proof by the deadline you cannot join the tour, and the Cancellation Schedule above applies.
• Valid licence: guests riding their own motorbike must hold a licence recognised in Vietnam.
• Medical Self-Declaration: mandatory at booking.

Cancellation by the Guest

Cancellation for personal reasons within the guest’s control — change of plans, personal scheduling, international flight cancellation, visa denial, or guest illness before departure — is handled under the Cancellation Schedule. These situations are not force majeure and, where insurable, should be covered by the guest’s personal travel insurance. TVPalm always encourages postponement over cancellation.

Cancellation Due to Weather & Road Safety

Mountain roads and weather are the most common reason a Loop tour is affected. TVPalm follows a safety-first rule that never bends to close a booking:

• Guide/rider authority: the lead guide or easy-rider may reroute, shorten, or pause the tour due to heavy rain, fog on the passes, landslides, flooded roads, or unsafe riding conditions. That decision is final and is made for guest safety, not convenience.
• If the tour cannot start because roads are closed or conditions are unsafe: TVPalm offers free postponement with the deposit carried forward, an alternative date, or an alternative itinerary of equivalent value.
• If the tour is interrupted mid-way for safety reasons: TVPalm assists with a safe return to the nearest town and offers to rebook the remaining portion on another departure at no additional service fee, subject to availability. Unused portions already delivered are non-refundable.
• Normal mountain weather — mist, cold, light rain, cloud cover that hides the viewpoints — is part of the experience and is not grounds for cancellation or refund. We state this honestly before you book.

Force Majeure (Objective External Events)

If events beyond the control of either party — natural disasters, floods, landslides, road closures, typhoons or prolonged severe weather, epidemics, government restrictions, border closures, or serious medical emergencies (with valid documentation) — prevent the tour from proceeding, TVPalm will offer:

• (a) Free postponement to a later date with the deposit fully carried forward.
• (b) An alternative itinerary of equivalent value where possible.
• (c) Partial refund after deducting non-recoverable costs already incurred at the time of cancellation.

Non-recoverable costs for this tour typically include: prepaid driver and easy-rider fees, hotel and homestay reservations along the route, motorbike or car rental deposits, permits, and food already arranged. In case (c), TVPalm will provide a written breakdown of deducted costs upon request.

Cancellation by TVPalm

• Internal reasons (staffing, scheduling, minimum-numbers not met): full 100% refund — including the deposit — plus the option of free rescheduling at no additional cost.
• Safety, weather, or external reasons: Sections Weather & Trail Safety and Force Majeure apply.
• TVPalm’s approach: we will always try to offer an alternative date or itinerary before refunding.

Written Request

All cancellation, postponement, or change requests must be submitted in writing to info@tvpalm.com. Zalo and WhatsApp messages are not valid until confirmed by email. The effective cancellation date is the date TVPalm receives and confirms the written request.

Refund Processing

• Timeline: approved refunds are processed within 15 to 30 business days from the date TVPalm confirms the cancellation in writing.
• Payment method: refunds are issued to the same payment method used for the original booking.
• Bank fees: international bank transfer fees are the guest’s responsibility.

No Refund for Unused Services

No refund is provided for unused portions of the tour — meals not taken, nights not stayed (if applicable), activities not joined — whether by guest choice or by circumstances within the guest’s control.

If the interruption is caused by a guide decision for safety reasons, TVPalm will offer to rebook the remaining service on another available departure at no additional service fee, subject to availability.

Special Conditions

International Travelers

If you can provide written proof of flight changes or airline cancellation, TVPalm offers an additional 3-month postponement window beyond the standard 6-month window. Proof (airline confirmation, boarding pass change, cancellation email) must be submitted with the postponement request.

Repeat Guests

Guests who have completed a previous TVPalm Adventure or TVPalm Ecolodge booking are entitled to:

• One free postponement without the adjustment fee, even within the shorter notice window.
• Priority rescheduling on the new date, subject to guide, weather, and community availability.

•  The Medical Self-Declaration Form is still required for the rescheduled tour.