Booking, Cancellation & Refund Policy

Effective 10 August 2026. This policy automatically applies to all bookings, including those made before this date, regardless of the terms in place at the time of booking.

The terms on this page are the ones that govern your booking with HagiangTrips. To pay your 30% deposit, we send you a secure payment link. That payment page may show the payment provider's own standard wording — it is generic to the provider and does not replace this policy.

If anything is ever unclear, message us before you pay and we will confirm it in writing. At HagiangTrips, we believe in a transparent, fair, and flexible booking process. We understand that travel plans can change — life happens. Please read the following policy carefully before confirming your adventure with us.

1. Booking Requirements

To guarantee your Border Area Permit, your homestays and hotels, and a dedicated driver/guide for your group, minimum advance booking depends on the season:

Need to travel with less notice than the above? Message us on WhatsApp first. Depending on the date, route and vehicle availability we can often still make it happen — but please don't pay a deposit for a short-notice booking until we've confirmed in writing that permits, accommodation and a driver are available for your dates.

2. Deposit & Payment Terms

3. Cancellation by the Guest

If you need to cancel, please notify us as soon as possible via our official WhatsApp or email. Cancellation fees are calculated from the date we receive your written cancellation request. This table applies to all tours year-round, regardless of season — once your tour is booked, we commit and pay for your permit, homestays and driver right away, so our cost exposure is the same whether it's high or low season:

Swipe the table sideways on a phone.

Note: in low season (March – August) we can accept bookings with as little as 48 hours' notice (see section 1) — but the table above still applies, so a booking made inside 7 days of departure is non-refundable from the moment it's confirmed. We'll always make this clear before you pay.

4. Cancellation by HagiangTrips — Weather & Safety Guarantee

This is a cancellation made by us, so the bank-fee deduction described in section 7 does not apply.

What counts — so we both use the same reference. To keep this fair and free of argument, the weather & safety clause above applies to a genuine force majeure event, not simply to weather you would rather avoid. Under Article 156 of the Vietnam Civil Code 2015, a force majeure event is one that is (1) objective, (2) not foreseeable, and (3) not avoidable even after all reasonable measures have been taken.

In practice, this clause is triggered when there is an objective, verifiable event, such as:

• An official storm or flood warning from Vietnam's National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting at a warning level that makes travel unsafe;
• A road or mountain pass closed by the authorities or the police (for example the QL4C or the Ma Pi Leng pass);
• A landslide physically blocking the route with no safe alternative;
• A checkpoint or border area closed by order of the competent authority.

A separate government "declaration of force majeure" is not required for the clause to apply — what matters is the objective evidence above, which either side can check.

Where the line falls. If conditions make the tour genuinely unsafe or impossible under the triggers above, that is our cancellation — full refund or free date change (section 4). If the tour can still run safely and you simply prefer not to travel because of rain, cold or a forecast, that is a guest cancellation and section 3 applies.

Finally, the on-the-ground decision to run, pause or turn back on safety grounds rests with your guide, who is the only person able to judge the actual road conditions at that moment. This decision is always made to protect you, never for convenience.

5. Itinerary Adjustments During the Tour

The Ha Giang Loop is a wild and remote region. Our experienced guides and drivers reserve the right to modify daily routes, accommodations, or planned stops if required by weather, road conditions, or safety considerations. These decisions are made solely to protect your well-being. No partial refunds will be issued for adjustments made under these circumstances.

6. Early Departure & Guest-Requested Changes

All accommodations, meals, driver fees, and services are pre-booked and fully prepaid before your tour begins — to guarantee a seamless experience for every guest in your group. Once the tour has commenced, the following applies:

We understand that circumstances can change unexpectedly. If you foresee any issues before your tour begins, please contact us via WhatsApp as early as possible — we will always do our best to find a solution together.

7. Refund Processing & Bank Fees

All approved refunds are returned to your original payment method. Please allow 7 – 14 business days for the funds to reflect in your account, depending on your bank's processing time.

When you cancel your own booking (section 3), we refund the approved amount minus only:

• The bank or transfer fee incurred when your original payment reached us, and
• Any outgoing wire, banking, or currency-conversion fee charged during the refund.

HagiangTrips does not profit from these deductions — we pass on only the exact fees charged by our financial institution, and we are happy to show you the figures. We recommend a low-fee transfer method (such as Wise or a local bank transfer) to minimise deductions on both ends.

Important: these deductions apply only to guest-initiated cancellations. If we cancel for weather or safety reasons, you receive a 100% refund with no deductions (section 4).

— Peter (Phuong) & The HagiangTrips Team 🏍️