Gems Of Thailand 10 Days - USA Depart

Thailand is often referred to as the “land of smiles,” and while it may be a cliché, it also happens to be quite true. On the whole, Thailand is a very welcoming, friendly country, particularly when you get outside the large tourist centers like Phuket and Bangkok. Also, Thailand is famous for its beautiful white sand beaches and stunning, clear blue seas, with over 2,000 miles of coastline and 8,000 tropical islands!

Packing List For Thailand:

l  Passport – Ensure your passport is valid for at least a year and has plenty of blank pages. Also get a passport cover – they’re cheap, and will protect your passport from damage plus provide a handy place to stash tickets etc whilst in transit.

l  Travel Insurance – Make sure you have travel insurance that covers your full range of activities e.g. scuba diving (World Nomads backpacker travel insurance is recommended by Lonely Planet amongst others and can be bought immediately online)

l  Thai SIM card – it’s much cheaper to switch over to a Thai SIM card on your phone rather than use roaming from home. You can buy a Thai SIM card online with Klook and pick it up at the counter at the airport when you arrive in Thailand. Alternatively, you buy a SIM at one of the telecom shops at the airport or once you’re in the city.

l  Do I Need A Visa For Thailand? – USA and Canada nationalities do NOT need a visa for Thailand – you simply arrive in Thailand and get a stamp that allows you to stay 30 days in Thailand. (This is technically known as a visa waiver stamp). See this official list for the full rundown of which nationalities do not require a visa to enter Thailand.

l  Prescription Medicines – Have a full supply of any prescription medicines you require

l  Credit Cards and Debit Cards – Have credit cards and a debit card that will work in international ATMs and won’t block you due to being accessed from Thailand.

Must-Have Items to Carry - Whether you purchase them locally or bring them from home, you'll certainly want each of these essentials with you:

l  Sunscreen: Prices for sunscreen often reflect the fact that locals rarely use it.

l  Sunglasses: Sunglasses often get abused, so consider buying a cheap pair locally.

l  Mosquito Repellent: Dengue fever is a serious problem throughout Thailand. The best defense is to protect yourself from bites. Mosquito coils can be purchased everywhere; burn them while sitting on your porch or balcony.

l  Toilet Paper: You'll find it on tables in restaurants but not always in the bathrooms!

l  Hand Sanitizer: Soap isn't a guarantee, even in nice restaurants. You'll certainly want some after your first squat toilet experience.

l  Power Adapter: Most of the power outlets in Thailand are universal now; they accept both the US-style flat-pronged plugs as well as the rounded European-style power plugs. To ensure that you can connect everywhere, consider bringing a universal power adapter and check the voltage ratings (Thailand uses a 220-volt system) on your devices/chargers. Anything that relies on USB charging or has a dual-voltage transformer should be fine.

Clothing:
The casual outdoor clothes are highly recommended. A pair of comfortable walking shoes. Socks, pants, and underwear. An umbrella and waterproof coat will be strongly recommended because it often rains in Thailand. Bring clothes according to in which season you are traveling.

Bangkok, Thailand: Annual Weather Averages

April is the hottest month in Bangkok with an average temperature of 31°C (87°F) and the coldest is December at 26°C (79°F) with the most daily sunshine hours at 9 in December. The wettest month is September with an average of 220mm of rain. The best month to swim in the sea is in April when the average sea temperature is 30°C (86°F).

Phuket Thailand: Annual Weather Averages

March is the hottest month in Phuket with an average temperature of 29°C (83°F) and the coldest is January at 27°C (81°F) with the most daily sunshine hours at 9 in April. The wettest month is September with an average of 400mm of rain. The best month to swim in the sea is in April when the average sea temperature is 30°C (86°F).

Hotel Preferred Bedding Configuration

- Twin Room (two separate beds)

- Double Room (one bed)

*Requests are not guaranteed and are subject to each hotel's discretion and availability.

Any travel products or services that are purchased from UTOvacation contains a contractual agreement between you/the traveller and UTOvacation and indicates that you have agreed to UTOvacation Terms and Conditions. Please ensure that you have read carefully the UTOvacation terms and conditions (which are available on www.utovacation.com) before making any payment.

【Reservation】

A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit is required to secure a travel date.  Please note, full payment is required when booking special on-sale products (check the product page for full description)

【Deposit Policy】

Initial deposit:  $300.00/pp at the time of booking. 2nd deposit of $300.00/pp after 2 weeks of booking.

The $600.00 deposit count towards the final payment

【For Online Reservations Procedures】

Step 1   Visit UTOvacation website: www.utovacation.com

Step 2   Login or Register a new account.

Step 3   Select your desired departure date and departure city

Step 4   Make a deposit online, for exact deposit amount please refer to tour package online.

Step 5   Secure a valid VISA

Step 6   Make secondary deposit payment (if required) and/or final payment

Balance payment of any regular products or services is due 150 days prior to departure unless specified. If the full payment is not obtained by the due date, UTOvacation reserves the right to cancel such reservation and retain the pre-paid deposit to cover any expenses occurred.

* In addition, some products may require a second deposit before final payment. Please review carefully your product pages for your reference. 

-Visa 

The following documents from the passenger are required if the visa is applied through UTOvacation Visa Center:

Original Passport (Make sure your actual passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond the date of your expected departure time)

Recent passport size photo with white background. Check requirement click here  

Visa Application Form (Complete with signature and date)

*Remarks: If acquiring a visa on your own, the supporting documents will be provided from UTOvacation One Month prior to the trip departure date. Supporting documents requested early are subject to a $50 administration fee.

Step 7. Trip Confirmation.

A final trip confirmation by email including day by day itinerary, hotel information, and flight information will be sent to the Main Contact Passenger One Month before departure.

【For Offline Reservation Procedures】

Step 1. Make reservations. A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit is required to secure the space. We accept cash, cheque, money order, debit card, credit card, email transfer, TD transfer. A 4% surcharge is applied to American Express. Full payment is required when booking if the package is a special on-sale product. 

Step 2. Complete the reservation. Call 1-855-526-1286 to request Booking Form. Fill out all the information on the Booking Form with authentic signature and date on the bottom of the second page. It is the passenger's responsibility to ensure documentation accuracy and travel documents validity. You will be liable for the full loss caused by incorrect information. By the time you full-fill the booking form, you have agreed to receive correspondence from UTOvacation which might include news flash, email blast or any other promotions in the future. Email/Fax your current and valid Passport Copy with the Booking Form together to info@utovacation.com/416-251-7778 

Step 3. Finalize the booking.

- Make secondary deposit payment (if required) and/or final payment

- Final Payment 

Balance payment of any regular products or services is due 150 days prior to departure unless specified. If the full payment is not obtained by the due date, UTOvacation reserves the right to cancel such reservation and retain the pre-paid deposit to cover any expenses occurred.

* In addition, some products may require a second deposit before final payment. Please review carefully your product pages for your reference. 

- Visa 

The following documents from the passenger are required if the visa is applied through UTOvacation Visa Center:

Original Passport (Make sure your actual passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond the date of your expected departure time)

Recent passport size photo with white background. Check requirement click here  

Visa Application Form (Complete with signature and date)

*Remarks: If acquiring a visa on your own, the supporting documents will be provided from UTOvacation One Month prior to the trip departure date. Supporting documents requested early are subject to a $50 administration fee.

Step 4. Trip Confirmation.

A final trip confirmation by email including day by day itinerary, hotel information, and flight information will be sent to the Main Contact Passenger One Month before departure.

【Cancellation policy】

UTOvacation reserves the right to cancel or modify any tour prior to departure date if the group has less than 10 passengers. An alternative departure date will be offered for no extra charge or a full refund will be issued

All cancellation or change requests must be confirmed in writing via email or fax including your reservation number, full name and date of travel.

Any cancellation of issued flight tickets prior to outbound departure (all the segments are unused) at the originally issued location shall incur a penalty of CAD/USD 350.00 per ticket. No refund will occur once travel has commenced.

Cancellation terms will be applied based on the date that the written cancellation is received and based on the following dates prior to departure.

Cancellation Fees, except where specified:

No. of days prior to Tour departure Cancellation fee as % of total tour fare: $ per person

•           150 days or above                   $300.00 as the penalty 

•           90-150 days                             $300+30% as the penalty 

•           Within 30-90 days                    $300+50% of tour fare as the penalty 

•           Within 30 days                         100% of tour fare as the penalty 

- No refund will be available on departure date and/or after the tour has commenced (Including denied and/or rejected by Immigration Department or Custom of destination).

- No refund or reimbursement will be available on any voluntarily giving up meals, tours and/or accommodations. A surcharge may apply should there be any additional fee occurs from any giving up decision from passengers. i.e. Since air ticket, transportation, accommodation, and meals have to be arranged in advance during high season (i.e.Holidays, Special Events, and other important activities and conventions), no departure date changed is allowed. No refund will be available on departure date changing and/or booking cancellation.

- Any other charges, refunds or rebates caused by the acts of God, natural disasters, fire, weather, governmental and local authority's order, political change, strikes, war, riots, quarantine, custom regulations, damages or inquiry caused by accident is beyond the responsibility of UTOvacation. Furthermore, should the traveller violate any local/provincial or national laws during their travels, UTOvacation is not responsible.

- All reschedule tours are consider non-refundable. Regular terms and conditions do not apply to the reschedule tour. 

【No Show】

 If for any reason, a passenger does not attend the scheduled daily activities during the tour, an additional supplement fee of $100 per day per person has to be paid. (Only applicable for China Tours)

【Special Remarks】

Although we would be happy to assist your shopping needs, UTOvacation would not be responsible for price, quality, and service of any goods purchased during the tour.

After the booking is confirmed, if the price increased following the imposition of a surcharge on fuel by the carrier or an increase in the exchange rate, insofar as the exchange rate applicable before the date on which the services are provided has increased by more than 5% since the date on which the contract was entered into; and/or if the increase, without taking into account any increase in the provincial sales tax or Canada's goods and services tax, raising taxes, royalties or reauthorized charges by a competent public authority, is equal to or greater than 7% of the price of services, you may choose between a full and immediate reimbursement of the services or the provision of similar services.

There could be possibilities that we might have to make alternations for your confirmed arrangements and we reserve the right to alter the order of touring and modify itineraries at any time to ensure the smooth running of your tour. Most alterations will be minor and of little effect on your overall arrangements. We will do our best to notify you of any such minor changes before your departure (Or as soon as possible if you have already departed), we will have no other liability to you.

【Special Request】

Seating/Cabin assignment: UTOvacation have no access to control the seating selection on the aircraft or cabin location on the cruise. All the spots are arranged by the airline/cruise line group department or randomly selected by the computer system. Therefore, UTOvacation cannot help the customers to change, reserve, pre-assign seats/cabins.

Preferred Seat Upgrade: UTOvacation will not be responsible for any preferred seat upgrade on aircraft (except for business or first class seats). 

Hotel Preferred Bedding: Requests are not guaranteed and are subject to each hotel's discretion and availability.

【Reservation Changes】

Changes to an existing reservation, for whatever the cause, will incur $100 per person charge plus any additional supplier fees. This includes name changes and removal of any services such as optional tours and transfers.

*Please note that name changes to airline reservations are subject to full cancellation or re-booking. See Airline Name Changes section for specific regulations.

Replacing a travelling passenger is subject to cancellation penalties, and is not covered by this Reservation Changes policy.

Changes or additional requests after departure are subject to local rates at the time of amendment and must be paid directly by the passenger to the service provider.

There are no refunds for unused services.

【Travel Insurance】

UTOvacation strongly recommends all tour members to purchase travel insurance at the time of booking.

【Baggage】

Each airline company has its own rules and regulations with the baggage weight, size, and number. The best way to find out the rules and regulations is to go visit the airline company official website and type in "Baggage Allowance" under the search bar.

【Tour Fare Includes】

- Transportation: International and domestic transportation fee (Bus, Train, Air tickets, and tax) are all included unless specified.

- Meals: Daily meals will be provided unless specified. Buffet breakfast is provided in hotel, lunch, and dinner in local style are provided in local restaurants licensed by the local Tourism Administration unless specified.

- Entrance fee of sightseeing mentioned in the itinerary, Coach, English Speaking Guide are included unless specified.

- Hotel Accommodation: Tour fare is based on two adults sharing one twin-bed room. Single supplement fee applies. UTOvacation reserves the right to substitute hotels of a similar or higher standard if the hotels listed in the itinerary are not available.

【Tour Fare Excludes】

- Visa Application Fee

-Any personal charges, such as phone bills, laundry, postage, and baggage over-weight charge, insurance, beverages, water, etc.

- Optional Tours.

- A Mandatory Service Charge & Tipping of U$180/C$240 per person for the whole trip for the tour guide, driver and restaurant waiters are not included.

- Any Items not listed in the itinerary.

- Any other charges caused by the acts of God, natural disasters, fires, weather, governmental and local authority's order, political change, strikes, war, riots, quarantine, custom regulations, damages or inquiry caused by the accident beyond the responsibilities of travel agents and incurred due to the tourist action violating the law.

【Important Notice】

UTOvacation reserves the right to cancel any booking/accommodation/flight arrangement if the customer fails to pay the compulsory tipping for the entire trip prior to departure date or the 1st day of arrival to the destination. 

(Please note, the tip is an industry-standard and is provided to the tour guides and bus drivers of the designated tours, to ensure our customers receive the best and high-quality service during the trip.)

【Warm Tips】

The extra cost of schedule delay caused by Air Flight cancellation will be undertaken by guests themselves. The missed itineraries will not be re-arranged. During the tour, it will be considered as surrendering application automatically if you do not attend the pre-arranged tour or check in the prearranged hotel. All the extra cost will be undertaken by the client voluntarily. UTOvacation reserves the right to abandon any clients if such clients violate the law or damage the interest of tour groups. If clients apply for a visa through UTOvacation visa service center, once the visa is denied 90/150 days prior to departure date without any responsibilities on our end, we will return all pre-paid tour fare to clients except for the deposit and visa application fee.

If such case occurs within 90/150 days before departure date, we will return a portion or none of the pre-paid tour fare according to the cancellation penalty policy. If a child, 18 years old or younger, is travelling abroad with only one parent/guardian, children MUST carry a notarized consent letter signed by non-accompanying parent/guardian. If a child, 18 years old or younger is travelling alone, children must carry a notarized consent letter signed by both parents/guardian. Such a consent letter may be requested by immigration authorities when entering into or leaving from a foreign country or by Canadian officials when re-entering into Canada. Failure of presenting such a document may result in the rejection of boarding aircraft or vessel for the children concerned. Any cruise line reserves the right to cancel, modify or substitute any scheduled port of calls at any time and for any reason whatsoever without prior notice due to the navigation authority and water conditions and UTOvacation shall not be liable for any loss to guests by reason of such cancellation or substitution.