Terms and Conditions
Third Culture Vietnam LLC
Effective Date: October 1, 2026
Last Updated: October 1, 2026
Welcome to Third Culture Vietnam LLC ("Third Culture Vietnam," "Company," "we," "us," or "our").
These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of our website, purchases, bookings, registrations, and participation in experiences, programs, events, retreats, private travel, Heritage experiences, and other services offered by Third Culture Vietnam.
By using our website, submitting a booking, making a payment, registering for a program or event, or participating in our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms.
Certain experiences, programs, events, or services may include additional booking conditions, participation agreements, waivers, or policies. Where additional terms are provided for a specific offering, those terms form part of your agreement with Third Culture Vietnam.
1. Website Use & Intellectual Property
1.1. Intellectual Property
Unless otherwise stated, content created or owned by Third Culture Vietnam, including text, photographs, films, graphics, branding, logos, program materials, itineraries, concepts, designs, and other original materials, is owned by or licensed to Third Culture Vietnam LLC and may be protected by applicable intellectual property laws.
You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, commercially exploit, or represent our original materials as your own without prior written permission.
1.2. Website Use
By using our website, you agree not to:
Use our website for fraudulent, unlawful, or unauthorized purposes.
Attempt to interfere with the security, operation, or functionality of our website.
Misrepresent your identity or provide intentionally false information.
Use our content or website for unauthorized commercial purposes.
2. Bookings, Registrations & Payments
2.1. Booking Confirmation
A booking or registration is not confirmed until the payment required at the time of booking has been successfully processed and you have received confirmation from Third Culture Vietnam.
Submission of an inquiry, application, interest form, or consultation request does not guarantee availability or constitute a confirmed booking.
All bookings and registrations remain subject to availability and any eligibility or participation requirements associated with the applicable experience.
2.2. Pricing
Prices may be displayed in U.S. Dollars (USD), Vietnamese Dong (VND), or another stated currency.
The total price, applicable taxes, deposit amount, installment schedule, and other charges applicable to your booking will be presented on the applicable booking or checkout page.
Prices may change before a booking is confirmed due to supplier costs, taxes, currency fluctuations, operational requirements, or changes to an experience.
Once a booking has been confirmed, the price applicable to that booking will generally remain as stated at checkout unless the participant requests a material change or additional services.
2.3. Payment Methods
Online payments may be processed through Squarespace and its connected payment-processing providers, including Stripe or other supported payment services.
Available payment methods may vary depending on the product, service, customer location, currency, and payment processor.
Customers are responsible for any foreign-transaction fees, currency-conversion charges, bank fees, or similar charges imposed by their financial institution or card provider.
2.4. Payment Options
Depending on the experience or service, Third Culture Vietnam may offer:
Payment in full.
A non-refundable deposit followed by scheduled installments.
Another payment arrangement specifically stated at checkout or agreed to in writing.
Not every payment option will be available for every offering.
The payment option, deposit amount, installment amounts, and payment dates displayed at checkout form part of your booking agreement.
3. Deposits & Payment Plans
3.1. Non-Refundable Deposits
Unless Third Culture Vietnam expressly states otherwise in writing, all deposits are non-refundable.
A deposit reserves your place, allows Third Culture Vietnam and its travel and operations partners to begin planning and securing services, and represents a financial commitment to the experience.
If you cancel your participation for any reason, the deposit will not be refunded, except where required by applicable law or where Third Culture Vietnam expressly agrees otherwise in writing.
3.2. Payment Plans
Where a payment plan is offered, the amount due at checkout and all future installment amounts and scheduled payment dates will be disclosed before purchase.
By selecting a payment plan and completing checkout, you authorize the applicable payment processor to charge your selected payment method according to the displayed payment schedule.
Your payment plan forms part of your overall booking agreement. Choosing installments does not convert each installment into a separate booking or purchase.
3.3. Automatic Installment Payments
Scheduled installments may be charged automatically to the payment method associated with your payment plan.
You are responsible for maintaining a valid payment method and sufficient funds or credit for each scheduled installment.
Third Culture Vietnam is not responsible for bank charges, card fees, currency-conversion charges, overdraft fees, or other costs resulting from scheduled or unsuccessful payment attempts.
3.4. Failed or Past-Due Payments
If an installment payment fails, Third Culture Vietnam or its payment processor may attempt to collect the payment again and may contact you to update your payment information.
If a past-due payment is not resolved within seven (7) calendar days after notice from Third Culture Vietnam, we reserve the right to suspend or cancel your booking and release your place.
Cancellation resulting from non-payment does not automatically entitle the participant to a refund. Any refund eligibility will be determined under the cancellation policy applicable to the booking.
Third Culture Vietnam may establish a shorter payment cure period where departure or service dates are approaching and supplier commitments require immediate payment.
3.5. Final Payment
Unless otherwise stated for a particular experience, all required payments must be completed by the final payment date shown at checkout or communicated in your booking confirmation.
Failure to complete payment by the applicable deadline may result in cancellation of the booking.
4. Heritage Experiences & Signature Departures
4.1. Heritage Deposits
Deposits for Third Culture Heritage Signature Departures are non-refundable.
The exact deposit amount and remaining installment schedule may vary by departure and room type and will be displayed before checkout.
4.2. Customer Cancellation
If you choose to cancel a Heritage booking, you must notify Third Culture Vietnam in writing.
Unless different cancellation terms are expressly stated for a particular departure, the following policy applies:
More than 90 days before departure
The deposit is forfeited and remains non-refundable.
Any installment payments already collected beyond the non-refundable deposit will be refunded, less any non-recoverable costs specifically incurred for your booking and any non-refundable payment-processing costs where permitted by applicable law.
60–90 days before departure
Up to 50% of the total booking price is non-refundable.
If payments received exceed the amount owed under this cancellation policy, the remaining eligible balance will be refunded.
30–59 days before departure
Up to 75% of the total booking price is non-refundable.
If payments received exceed the amount owed under this cancellation policy, the remaining eligible balance will be refunded.
Less than 30 days before departure
100% of the total booking price is non-refundable. No refund will be provided, except where required by applicable law.
4.3. Cancellation of an Active Payment Plan
Submitting a cancellation request does not necessarily stop an automated payment schedule immediately.
Once a cancellation has been accepted and processed by Third Culture Vietnam, any future scheduled installments that are no longer owed will be canceled where applicable.
Payments already collected are not automatically refunded when a payment plan is canceled. Refund eligibility for amounts already paid is determined according to Section 4.2 and any departure-specific terms.
Participants should contact Third Culture Vietnam directly regarding cancellations or payment concerns rather than relying solely on actions taken through their financial institution.
4.4. Refund Calculation
Where a participant qualifies for a partial refund, Third Culture Vietnam will calculate:
The total amount paid to date.
The amount that is non-refundable under the applicable cancellation window.
The non-refundable deposit.
Any specifically disclosed non-recoverable third-party costs or payment-processing costs where permitted.
The remaining amount eligible for refund.
A participant will never be refunded more than the amount actually paid.
4.5. Transfers & Rescheduling
Heritage bookings may not automatically be transferred to another participant or departure.
Requests to transfer or reschedule must be submitted in writing and are subject to availability, supplier commitments, pricing differences, and approval by Third Culture Vietnam.
Approval is not guaranteed.
Where a transfer to another departure is approved, the participant may be responsible for price differences and any non-recoverable costs already incurred.
5. Experiences & Private Experiences
5.1. Payment
Unless otherwise stated, Saigon Experiences, private experiences, day experiences, and other short-form experiences require payment according to the terms displayed at checkout or included in the applicable proposal.
5.2. Customer Cancellation
Unless a different cancellation policy is stated at booking, confirmed short-form Experiences are non-refundable.
Where offered, Third Culture Vietnam may allow a one-time reschedule as a courtesy.
Any approved reschedule is:
Subject to availability.
Limited to one change.
Generally required to occur within 30 days of the original experience date.
Subject to any additional supplier costs or price differences.
No additional changes are guaranteed after an approved reschedule.
5.3. Private & Custom Experiences
Private experiences, custom travel, regional experiences, and specially arranged services may have individual cancellation and payment conditions based on the suppliers and services required.
Any additional terms will be communicated in the applicable proposal, invoice, booking page, or written confirmation before payment.
6. Events, Workshops & Retreats
Payment, cancellation, refund, and transfer policies for events, workshops, gatherings, and retreats may vary depending on the event.
The applicable conditions will be displayed on the event registration or booking page.
Where no separate policy is stated, registrations are non-refundable, but may be transferable at Third Culture Vietnam's discretion.
7. Private Heritage Travel & Custom Travel
Private Heritage Travel and other custom travel arrangements may require a deposit before planning, reservations, or supplier confirmations begin.
Deposits for custom travel are non-refundable unless otherwise expressly stated.
Payment schedules, cancellation conditions, supplier terms, and refund eligibility may vary depending on the itinerary and services requested and will be communicated before booking.
Certain components may become non-refundable once confirmed with accommodations, transportation providers, venues, guides, activities, or other travel and operations partners.
8. Refund Processing
Approved refunds will generally be returned to the original payment method whenever possible.
Refund-processing times depend on the payment processor, card issuer, bank, currency, and payment method.
Third Culture Vietnam cannot control the time required for a customer's bank or card provider to post an approved refund.
Original payment-processing fees or other transaction costs may be non-refundable to Third Culture Vietnam. Where legally permitted and clearly disclosed, these costs may be deducted from an otherwise eligible refund.
Refunding an installment does not necessarily cancel future scheduled installments. Where a booking is being canceled, Third Culture Vietnam will separately manage any remaining payment schedule as necessary.
9. Cancellation by Third Culture Vietnam
Third Culture Vietnam may cancel, postpone, or materially modify an experience due to insufficient participation, safety concerns, force majeure, government restrictions, supplier failures, operational circumstances, or other circumstances that make delivery impracticable or unsafe.
If Third Culture Vietnam cancels an experience and does not provide a reasonable replacement or rescheduled option, participants will be informed of the remedies available for that particular cancellation, which may include a refund or future credit.
Third Culture Vietnam is not responsible for independently purchased flights, visas, insurance, accommodations, transportation, or other costs outside the amount paid directly to Third Culture Vietnam unless required by applicable law.
Participants are strongly encouraged to purchase appropriate travel insurance.
10. Itinerary Changes
Travel requires flexibility.
Third Culture Vietnam may modify itineraries, destinations, accommodations, transportation, hosts, guides, activities, meals, or timing when reasonably necessary because of weather, transportation disruptions, supplier availability, cultural considerations, safety concerns, government restrictions, local conditions, force majeure, or other operational circumstances.
Where a material change occurs, we will make reasonable efforts to communicate the change and provide a suitable alternative consistent with the character and quality of the original experience.
Minor itinerary adjustments do not entitle participants to refunds.
11. Travel Documents, Visas & Insurance
Unless expressly included, international airfare, passports, visas, and travel insurance are the responsibility of the participant.
Participants are responsible for ensuring that they possess valid travel documents and satisfy applicable entry, exit, health, and immigration requirements.
Visa and entry requirements may change and vary according to nationality and travel history.
Third Culture Vietnam may provide general information but does not provide immigration or legal advice and does not guarantee visa approval or entry into any country.
Comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended for multi-day travel and should include appropriate coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellation or interruption, baggage, delays, and emergency evacuation.
12. Health, Accessibility & Dietary Requirements
Participants are responsible for determining whether an experience is appropriate for their individual circumstances.
Please inform Third Culture Vietnam of relevant accessibility, mobility, dietary, allergy, or other participation requirements sufficiently in advance so that we can determine whether reasonable arrangements can be made.
We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate disclosed needs but cannot guarantee that every destination, property, activity, transportation provider, or third-party facility will be able to accommodate every requirement.
Sensitive personal information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
13. Participant Conduct & Right to Refuse Service
Third Culture Vietnam may refuse participation, discontinue service, or remove a participant where reasonably necessary to protect the safety, well-being, dignity, or experience of participants, team members, hosts, partners, or local communities.
This may include serious or repeated:
Threatening, abusive, discriminatory, harassing, or disruptive conduct.
Conduct that places another person at unreasonable risk.
Refusal to follow reasonable safety instructions.
Illegal activity.
Serious disrespect toward local communities, cultural spaces, hosts, participants, or team members.
Fraudulent activity or failure to satisfy required payments.
Where a participant is removed because of their own conduct, refunds are not guaranteed, and the participant may be responsible for costs associated with leaving or altering their travel arrangements.
14. Third-Party Services
Third Culture Vietnam works with independent accommodations, transportation providers, restaurants, guides, hosts, venues, activity providers, travel and operations partners, and other third parties.
We carefully select and coordinate with partners, but many services are operated independently and remain subject to the provider's own operational requirements and terms.
To the extent permitted by law, Third Culture Vietnam is not responsible for acts or omissions of independent third-party providers that are outside our reasonable control.
15. Assumption of Risk
Travel and participation in cultural, recreational, transportation, outdoor, food, and community-based activities may involve inherent risks.
By participating, you acknowledge the ordinary and reasonably foreseeable risks associated with your selected activities and agree to follow reasonable safety instructions.
Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude or limit liability where such exclusion or limitation is prohibited by applicable law.
16. Force Majeure
Third Culture Vietnam is not responsible for failure or delay caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including severe weather, natural disasters, epidemics or pandemics, war, civil unrest, government action, border restrictions, strikes, transportation disruption, infrastructure failures, or similar events.
Where such circumstances affect an experience, we will make reasonable efforts to provide alternatives, reschedule affected services, recover supplier funds where possible, or communicate available options.
17. Photography, Film & Media
Third Culture Vietnam regularly documents experiences, gatherings, and community activities through photography, film, and other media.
Where photography or filming is planned, participants may be informed through event information, signage, participation materials, or direct communication.
Participation in an experience does not automatically grant Third Culture Vietnam unrestricted commercial rights to a participant's likeness beyond what is permitted by applicable law or separately agreed.
Where additional permission is required for interviews, featured stories, advertising, commercial campaigns, or other identifiable uses, Third Culture Vietnam may request separate consent or a media release.
Participants who have concerns about being photographed or filmed should contact our team before or during the experience whenever reasonably possible.
18. Stories, Creative Contributions & Submissions
Submitting a story, photograph, film, idea, nomination, or other creative material to Third Culture Vietnam does not automatically grant permission for us to publish, edit, advertise, film, or commercially exploit that material.
Where Third Culture Vietnam wishes to publish, adapt, film, promote, or otherwise use submitted work beyond what is reasonably necessary to review the submission, appropriate permissions will be discussed separately.
Contributors remain responsible for ensuring that material they submit does not knowingly infringe the rights of another person.
19. Privacy
Our collection and use of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy.
By using our website or services, you acknowledge that information may be processed as reasonably necessary to manage inquiries, bookings, payments, travel planning, participation, communications, safety, and other services described in our Privacy Policy.
20. Payment Disputes & Chargebacks
If you believe a payment was made incorrectly or there is an issue with a charge, you agree to contact Third Culture Vietnam promptly so that we have a reasonable opportunity to investigate and resolve the matter.
By completing a booking, making a deposit, selecting a payment plan, or authorizing an installment payment, you acknowledge and agree that:
You have reviewed and accepted the price, payment schedule, cancellation policy, refund policy, and these Terms & Conditions applicable to your booking.
Deposits identified as non-refundable at the time of booking remain non-refundable, except where otherwise required by applicable law.
When you select a payment plan, you authorize the applicable payment processor to charge the payment method provided for each scheduled installment according to the payment schedule presented and accepted at checkout.
A scheduled installment processed in accordance with an authorized payment plan is not an unauthorized transaction solely because it was charged automatically.
Your decision to cancel, discontinue participation, change your travel plans, or no longer use the booked service does not automatically make a previously authorized payment fraudulent, unauthorized, or eligible for a refund.
Refund eligibility remains subject to the cancellation and refund terms applicable to your booking.
20.1. Contact Us Before Initiating a Payment Dispute
If you believe a charge is incorrect, duplicated, unauthorized, or otherwise inconsistent with your booking agreement, please contact Third Culture Vietnam as soon as reasonably possible at info@thirdculturevietnam.com.
We will make a good-faith effort to review the transaction and address legitimate billing errors.
Nothing in these Terms prevents you from exercising any dispute or chargeback rights available to you under applicable law or your cardholder agreement.
20.2. Chargeback Documentation
If a payment dispute or chargeback is initiated, Third Culture Vietnam reserves the right to contest the dispute and provide relevant documentation to our payment processor, acquiring bank, card network, issuing bank, or other financial institution.
This documentation may include, where applicable:
Booking and order confirmations.
Payment records and transaction details.
Evidence of payment authorization.
The payment plan and installment schedule accepted at checkout.
The Terms & Conditions and refund policy applicable at the time of booking.
Evidence that the customer acknowledged a non-refundable deposit.
Cancellation and refund terms.
Emails, messages, and other relevant customer communications.
Records showing services already provided, reserved, arranged, or made available.
Records of accommodations, transportation, activities, hosts, guides, venues, or other third-party commitments made in connection with the booking.
Cancellation requests and the dates on which they were received.
Refunds, credits, rescheduling options, or other remedies previously offered or provided.
Other information reasonably necessary to establish the validity of the transaction.
By making a booking, you acknowledge that relevant booking and transaction records may be shared with payment processors, banks, card networks, and other parties involved in resolving a payment dispute, subject to our Privacy Policy and applicable law.
20.3. Cancellation Does Not Automatically Cancel Amounts Already Owed
Submitting a cancellation request does not retroactively invalidate payments that were properly authorized or amounts that became non-refundable under the cancellation policy before the cancellation request was received.
If future installments are no longer owed following an accepted cancellation, Third Culture Vietnam will take reasonable steps to cancel the remaining payment schedule.
Payments already collected remain subject to the applicable cancellation and refund policy.
20.4. Fraudulent or Abusive Payment Disputes
Third Culture Vietnam reserves the right to contest payment disputes that we reasonably believe are inaccurate, fraudulent, abusive, or inconsistent with the customer's documented booking authorization and accepted cancellation terms.
Where permitted by applicable law, Third Culture Vietnam may decline future bookings or require alternative payment arrangements from customers with unresolved payment disputes or a history of fraudulent or abusive payment activity.
Nothing in this section limits any rights or remedies available to either party under applicable law.
21. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution
These Terms and any dispute arising from them will be governed by applicable law based on the nature and location of the transaction, service, and parties involved.
Third Culture Vietnam LLC is organized in California, United States, and also conducts activities and coordinates services in Vietnam.
Where a dispute arises, the parties agree to first make reasonable good-faith efforts to resolve the matter directly.
Any mandatory rights or remedies available to a consumer under applicable law remain unaffected.
22. Changes to These Terms
Third Culture Vietnam may update these Terms periodically to reflect changes to our services, payment systems, policies, legal requirements, or business operations.
The version applicable to a confirmed booking will generally be the version in effect when the booking was made, together with any specific terms accepted for that booking, unless a change is required by law or mutually agreed.
The current version will be published on our website with its effective or updated date.
23. Contact Us
Questions regarding these Terms, bookings, cancellations, refunds, or payments may be directed to:
Third Culture Vietnam LLC
Email: info@thirdculturevietnam.com
Website: www.thirdculturevietnam.com
Contact us.
info@thirdculturevietnam.com