Smiles Travel & Services

This lady knows her business. As painless of a visa process as you can imagine. I spent hours combing though the consulate and online travel sites to figure out if I was eligible for a 5 year Visa to Vietnam and what documents I needed to establish that my parents were born there and what else I needed to bring. I walked into Smiles Travel, give her my passport and birth certificate thinking that was only enough to apply for single entry, she says no problem and took care of everything quickly and now I have 5 year visa. I can’t recommend her enough!

I was feeling very nervous about booking this international trip. First time back to my homeland since nearly half a century ago… yikes. However, I was referred (recommended) by a good friend to contact chi CaDao for all trip logistics. She has all the very best of intentions in getting me the best deal with the best service airline. Chi CaDao also reassured me of safety, security, and other traveling specifics to help me feel at peace with my travel and business decision. I highly recommend anyone needing respectful, resourceful, responsible professional travel services to contact CaDao… she will help and assist with full heart and harmony.

This is my second review for Cadao; I figured that an update always helps. In this case, no change is good, because Cadao delivers, as usual. We needed reasonably-​priced tickets to Indonesia for a total of 6 people, and she came back with price and availability within the hour. I started the process midday yesterday, and got tickets this morning. I would suggest that you contact her by email instead of phone – makes the back and forth, as well as checking all spellings of names, dates, etc, much easier. I’m happy to say that getting plane tickets through Smiles Travel is an annual thing with me.

I have never felt so inclined to write a Unilocal review until now. My first Unilocal review goes to the worst customer service I have ever come across. The amount of unprofessionalism that I’ve just dealt with was appalling.
I wish i could give negative stars…
Chain of events:
— I call Smiles travel at their business number, and a woman answers the other line
Her: «Hello!»
Me: «Hi, is this Smiles Travel & Services?»
Her: «Hello! I can not hear you!»
Me: «Hello, can you hear me now. Is this Smiles Travel & Services?»
Her: «Hello! Yes, but I cannot hear you because I am outside. I am not in the office!»
Me: (Thinking to myself: Are you kidding me? This is your business number, how is it my fault if you are outside) «Can you please go back in your office, or to a place where you can hear me? This is very unprofessional.»
*At this point, I seriously thought that I had come across one of those prank voicemails*
Her: «I told you! I am outside, I am not in the office. That is why I can not hear you!» (Please note, this lady is seriously yelling into my ear right now)
Me: «Can you PLEASE move to a location where you can hear me.»
Her: «Send me an email. I can not hear you.» *hangs up*
Was this a movie? Was someone playing a prank on me? I am still sitting here, wondering if I was just the recipient of a prank voicemail. I can not believe how rude this woman was. Not only did she make me feel as if it was my fault for calling her while she was outside of her office, but she was not apologetic about it at all.
If this is the number you list for your business, and I am calling within your business hours, I don’t understand why I should have felt like I was being reprimanded for calling to inquire about your travel services.
I’m still in shock. I don’t understand how these 4 and 5 star reviews have come about, but if I were giving stars for BAD customer service, I’d probably give 5 too.

Got her help on a trip to China that eventually turned into a trip to Taiwan, because I didn’t end up needing a visa or help with the tickets she didn’t charge anything but was very helpful and informative. Would definitely recommend!

Words can’t describe how rude, lousy, tactless, ill-​mannered, benighted and unprofessional this woman is.
I decided to go back VN after 9 years in the US. It would also be the first time I traveled outside the US. After listening to my Vietnamese friend, I decided to take up an agent.
The trip was originally planned to be from June 6 to June 25. She sent me a confirmation letter. I noticed that the forward trip mentioned both dates, June 6 and June 7, and before the rotation of the Earth slipped into my head, I embarrassingly asked her. She explained to me. After she bought the ticket, I decided to change the dates from June 6 to July 8. She agreed to help me.
Then the ticket came to my place. The return date on the ticket was June 25. So I sent her an email, politely asked:
«I got the ticket today, it has 4 dates on it: Jun 6, Jun 7, Jun 25 and Jun 25.
So Jun 6 and Jun 7 are the depart date, but Jun 25 is the original return date, and I have changed it to July 8?! The attached paper still indicates July 8 to be the return date.
Will this be a matter, and if it is, please help me fix it.»
That is the exact content, no lie. She told me call her. I did. And before I could say, «good evening», SHE YELLED AT ME LIKE I WAS DIRT. This is the entire conversation:
«Toi k0 hieu tai sao toi noi voi you bao nhieu lan ma you k0 hieu la tai sao? Cai ngay ra di la June 6 o My thi toi VN la June 7…»
Me: «I understand that, but that’s not my concern. I’m concerned about the depart date…»
Cadao: «Ok, about the depart date, toi noi cai luc ma you doi ngay, toi da mua ve roi, toi doi ngay lai thi no nam o trong may thi co sao dau…»
Me: «Ok, but…» (My concern was, how should I act and say at the airport with this ticket of the wrong date)
Cadao: (Raised voice) «Bay gio you co de toi noi k0, tai sao ma toi dang noi ma you k0 de toi noi la sao??»
Me: (blood boiled) «Go ahead»
She went on and on about how the date had been stored in the system and not for one brick minute did she care to address my concern. My head was dizzy; I could no longer to listen to her. Finally I asked: «Can I talk now?»
Cadao: «U, noi di»
Me: «Let me tell you something; this is the first time I headed out of the US. The first time in 9 years, so excuse me if I don’t know my way around. But you’re very rude. I have to say, you’re one rude Vietnamese.»
Then I hanged up.
I sent her an email explaining the boundary that she just crossed:
«Let me be clear:
I am not your child. I am your customer.
I’ve been very polite to you, in every email I’ve written and every phone call I’ve made, but you’ve been very rude. I’ve paid my money, it’s not like I’m begging you. And if you understand any English at all, it would be clear to you that it’s not depart date but the return date that confused me. Well then I’m sorry for checking it, after all, it’s my money. Our relationship is only bounded by law in this country, not the casual relationship that allows you to yell at me (Not only that, you didn’t understand what my concern was — not the depart date, and you’ve been interrupting me every time we spoke). If some thing does not work out and you don’t warn me ahead, all I have to do is to ask for my money back. After this, I’d rather do my business with Americans. It might be more expensive but they by law will treat me like a human.
I’m keeping all these emails as a proof of our conversation and your standard of professionalism.»
Then she sent me a reply — the content is too long, but I will send the pic of the email upon request for any interested reader — my oh my, I’d never seen such a brutal mutilation of the English language. Now I understand why she’d rather have people call her so that she could yell at them in broken Vietnamese. She spelled «upset» into «up-​sad». She lied about me ever yelling at her and «threatening» her. Cadao, reminding you about your boundaries and legal limits is nowhere near «threatening». And I just love why she was desperate to yank a forgiveness out of me at the end of the letter after treating me like dirt.
The next morning, I called China Airlines:
Me: «I have a question for you; the ticket I have, has June 25 for the return date. Would that be a problem, should I mention anything to anyone at the airport?»
Agent on the phone: «No, no problem at all. Don’t worry. No you don’t have to do that. «
And that’s just it. Only in seconds of politeness and maturity, my question got answered. Compared to 15 minutes of plain rudeness and childishness of her and none of my concern being addressed.
Do you see how adults talk, Cadao? If you wish to comment on my review, feel free to do so. I’d love to see that butchered English again. And if you wish to send me a private message, I will post it out here for others’ amusement. But I don’t think you should try to make yourself more of a tool than you already have.

Ca dao is definitely a character. She’s been doing this for 15 yrs, and definitely knows how to maneuver. I tried to book a trip to Hong Kong from SF, then to Phuket. Kayak was a nightmare and going direct to Cathay Airlines was too expensive. I found some deals on Kayak for around 1300.00 to HKG from SFO, but the second I tried to book it, it would report Zero results and errors. Ca dao got me a direct flight for about 1550. Well worth it to relieve my headache. Call her up, she will ask, «Where you going?» then in 5 minutes you’re basically done. She’s very direct and can seem pushy, but that’s just because she needs to book the tickets the second she sees them in her system, so don’t be thrown off by that, she means well. Thanks Unilocal

I just worked with Cadao on a multi-​family trip to Thailand, and I don’t think I could have possibly planned it without her! She is incredibly helpful, lightning fast to respond, and got us amazing airfare. I worked in the travel business for many years, and I was so impressed by her, and was so thankful that I found her to work with. She made it so easy, and I won’t ever work with anyone else! She is the best.
Thank you, Cadao! You are wonderful!!!

Cadao is my travel agent forever, so friendly and a heart of gold.
Cadao tran was a miracle worker. I needed a last minute visa to Vietnam because I was an idiot and forgot. I thought that I could get in with just my passport since I was born there, needless to say that was not the case. So I search around and it cost an arm and a leg and had to travel pretty far. My dad even suggest some Asian Place down in San Jose called Sun light travel… they were horrible with customer service and very prestige price for crappy service… anyway aince everyone have to come to San Francisco embassy to get their visa… even other travel agents… so why choose
Smile travel agency? Cadao does everything for you with a smile and she has a wonderful heart… she even gave me a dollar in change Just cuz she thinks I didn’t have any coins… anyway long story short she got me my visa in less than an hour and my flight was within a couples hours away. I even tip her an extra $ 20 bucks because i know she could have taken advantage of my situation and i couldnt really do anything about it, but she didn’t so she got me as a recommendation to everyone.

I’m one of those people who think I can «beat the system» by searching for my own air fares online, and I think most of the travel agencies out there are too shady anyways. This ideology has served me very well so far. However, Ca Dao @ Smiles Travel is my go-​to source for international travel, especially to Southeast Asia!
I can do a million searches online and one of two things usually happen: either the cheap fares I’ve found online are «no longer available» once I select them, or Ca Dao can find the flights that suit my needs for EVEN CHEAPER! Now, every single time that I need to travel internationally, I call Ca Dao, we exchange several rounds of options and decisions (I’m a picky customer), and she sends me on my way without a hitch! Best of all, she cracks me up with her bubbly personality and her extreme patience every time. It’s like talking to a cool, hip, mom/​friend. I know that she has a special way of treating her clients and making them happy, because her phone is usually ringing off-​the-​hook.
A friend referred me to Smiles Travel when I was living in CA. I have now moved to a different state but I still rely on Ca Dao and will continue to do so as long as she’s around!

CaDao has assisted our organization’s travel for the past 5+ years. Her professionalism is beyond reproach and her commitment to you as her client is legendary. She will work the hours necessary to get you on the flight that you need to be on. CaDao anticipates problems before they arise and goes to great length to advise you to avoid them. We love you CaDao! Thanks for doing your job and ensure our safe travel.

I found a travel agent for life! Cadao is short of a miracle worker and I’m so glad that I found her on Unilocal!This is my situation:
As soon as I found out that my mother died yesterday in Vietnam, I started to look for a travel agent. Because tradition dictates that her burial to be in 3 days, it was extremely important that we leave immediately. This was an unexpected event and because of the special situation, I needed someone who knew the requirements for travel to Vietnam and be able to get us plane tickets ASAP. Well it turns out the this is also Chinese New Years and travel to and from Vietnam is pretty much booked so finding 4 tickets could be difficult. On top of that fact, none of us had visas and this was Friday afternoon (SF time). No visa, no getting into the country. period.
Cadao worked relentlessly until she was able to book our flights, and coordinating with her contact with China Airlines. This all was happening while I was in her office. Then we drove and dropped her off at the Vietnamese Consulate to get our visas. Initially, only my wife and I could get visas since we live here in SF and had our passports on hand. My sisters however had to fly in from out of town. Cadao stayed and waited until my sisters could email their passports to the Consulate for their special visas to be issued. It was later in the evening that she called to confirm that all the visas were issued and that the flights have been confirmed.
We are leaving in 4 hours.
It’s rare to find someone who goes far beyond what you expect or takes care of all the arrangements like Cadao did for us in the situation. I can’t express how grateful my family and I are for what she has done for us so we can be there for my mother’s burial.

Need a professional to handle your trip (s) to Asia? Look no further than Smiles travel. Cadao is a native of Vietnam and has been all over the world. She has connections and direct contacts with numerous airline carriers to get you best deals possible. She made all my arrangements from air, hotel and even my tour guide. She also helps you with Visas. I feel like I have personal attention from her and she has a motherly feel and approach. I use her and only her. Safe travels.