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Journey into 3 unique landscapes to explore a kaleidoscope of cultural treasures within Southeast Asia's peninsula. Voyage into Vietnam's principal cities to experience distinctive urban gems steeped in a rich historical tapestry. Travel west to the enchanting Laos for a cruise along the magnificent Mekong River and discover Cambodia's ancient realm of the gods, at the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat.
Depart London on your scheduled, overnight flight to Ho Chi Minh City Airport.
Today, begin your journey by exploring Vietnam's biggest city at leisure. A fury of sights and sounds, the striking contrast of ancient pagodas and imposing skyscrapers form Saigon's dizzying backdrop. At street level, parades of motorbikes flow passed mammoth malls, tucked away temples and wooden spice shacks that fill the air with an aromatic balance of sweet and spicy aromas.
This morning explore the extraordinary Cu Chi Tunnels, a hand-dug underground network used by Viet Cong soldiers during the 'American War'. The afternoon city tour of Saigon includes a visit to the Reunification Palace where the Vietnam War ultimately concluded, the charming neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral and the fascinating War Remnants Museum that presents retired artillery pieces alongside harrowing exhibitions.
After breakfast, catch a flight north to the cosmopolitan coastal city of Danang. This afternoon, visit the dramatic Marble Mountains, five outcrops shrouded by jungle and decorated with towering Buddhist pagodas. Discover grottos that enshrine religious icons as you ascend the tallest mountain - Thuy Son - to marvel at spectacular views of the idyllic Non Nuoc Beach. Late afternoon, journey to the neighbouring Hoi An, one of Vietnam's most atmospheric and delightful towns.
Today, embark on a walking tour through the narrow streets of this essential Vietnamese highlight, radiating a charming character brimming with intriguing sights to discover. Stroll across the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge to admire its magnificent wooden pagoda roof, explore the Sa Huynh Museum to inspect terracotta pieces sculpted by Hoi An's first settlers and visit the Lantern Workshop to learn how the flickering beacons which illuminate the town are crafted.
Today, enjoy exploring the local area at your own pace, with this day at leisure.
Leave Hoi An this morning for a scenic coastline drive to the northern capital of Hue, a cultural and spiritual highlight of Vietnam. Tour the imposing UNESCO Imperial Citadel complex, an impressive 19th century royal residence whose grandeur and beauty mask the scars of war. Later that afternoon meander through the bustling Dong Ba Market, alive with the rich scent of freshly prepared seafood and a flurry of colourful handicrafts including traditional pointed conical hats. This evening sample Vietnamese cuisine at a local restaurant.
This morning, embark on a traditional dragon longboat for a tranquil cruise along Hue's Perfume River. Stop at Ha Khe Hill, home to the striking tower of Thien Mu Pagoda and once a focal point for anti-government protests during the 1960s. Continue to the Tu Doc Tomb and the Khai Dinh Tomb. Later in the afternoon, fly north to Vietnam's elegant capital - Hanoi.
Awake in the enchanting metropolis of Hanoi, a city accentuated by traditional Vietnamese architecture coupled with a graceful transition into modernisation. Your full day tour starts with a visit to the Museum of Ethnology which displays diverse artistic pieces from the country's northern hill tribes. Visit the intricate Ngoc Son Temple that resides on Hoan Kiem Lake, alleged home of an infamous 200kg turtle named Cu Rua. Later in the day experience a charming water puppet show; originally developed by rice farmers, wooden puppets are manipulated to the tune of traditional Vietnamese instruments.
After breakfast, travel through the Red River Delta's expansive rural landscape to the awe-inspiring UNESCO Site of Halong Bay, undoubtedly one of your tour highlights. Over two thousand limestone karsts protrude through the azure waters of the Gulf of Tonkin; begin your overnight cruise with kayaking activities in Trinh Nu Cave area. To get to Trinh Nu beach, you need to kayak around thousand-year-old limestone formations and then walk through Trinh Nu cave. Trinh Nu beach will amaze you with its white sand and emerald water. Return to the boat, where you will a enjoy sunset party and cooking demonstration. After dinner, retire to your cabins for the night.
Enjoy the rising sun's incandescent shimmer over Halong Bay as you unwind during your morning Tai Chi session. Following a light breakfast, explore Sung Sot cave - one of the largest and most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay. The cave has some unique rock formations which couldn't be found anywhere else. After, return to your ship, and enjoy an early lunch buffet whilst sailing back to the harbour. Disembark the boat for a scenic drive past far-reaching rice paddies to Hanoi where you will spend the evening at leisure.
Relax this morning before leaving late afternoon for your short flight west of Vietnam to the city of Luang Prabang, the jewel of Indochina. Mirroring the character of Laos, French colonial architecture juxtaposes ornate Buddhist temples overlooked by rolling hills layered with pristine forests, home to the remarkable Indochinese Tiger. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel for an evening at leisure.
The full day tour begins with a cruise along one of the world's great rivers: the Mekong carves its way through six countries, passing imposing temples, luscious jungles and forming spectacular waterfalls, particularly in Laos. Further upstream, disembark to explore the Pak Ou Caves and their haunting collection of rejected Buddha statues. Continue to Ban Xang Hai - the 'whiskey village' - to sample the robust flavours of Laos famous rice whiskey. Return to dry land and ascend Phou Si Hill to marvel at the sun setting behind Luang Prabang city, transforming the Mekong's hue to a brilliant orange.
Following breakfast, fly to one of South East Asia's most beloved towns, Siem Reap. The town has a contemporary outlook with a rich supply of boutique guesthouses, luxurious spas and an array of eateries, whilst retaining a small-town charm through its shaded boulevards, vivid markets and remarkable temples. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant with an evening at leisure.
Leave the town of Siem Reap and visit the remarkable 1st century Banteay Srei temple which, boasts some of the world's finest sandstone carvings depicting Hindu tales. This afternoon experience the tranquil floating village of Tonle Sap lake, a fascinating network of stilted houses overlooking fragile fishing boats, followed by the nearby old market for your final taste of this enchanting land.
This morning tour the ruins of the Angkor region, South-East Asia's most important archaeological location and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover an assortment of ancient treasures including the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat, a temple complex constructed to represent the earthly abode of Hindu Gods, which is reflected in both its enormity and grandeur. This afternoon experience the tranquil floating village of Tonle Sap lake, a fascinating network of stilted houses overlooking fragile fishing boats, followed by the nearby old market for your final taste of this enchanting land.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your scheduled flight back to the UK.
Vietnam: A visa is not required for stays up to 15 days. A visa is required for entry into Vietnam for all stays longer than 15 days. This changes to 45 days from the 15th August. You can apply for an e-visa online at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. The cost of the visa is approximately USD$25 and will take roughly 3 working days. Alternatively, we work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa for you on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. The cost of the visa will be advised upon application. The visas take around 10 working days to issue and are only valid for 3 months from the date of entry. We therefore recommend that you apply for your visa 8 weeks before travel, however please be aware that your passport will be required for the application so make sure that you will not need it during this time. You can also visit the Embassy of Vietnam in London: 12-14 Victoria Road, London, W8 5RD. This visa information is a guide line only and is subject to change; up-to-date information regarding the process and fees will be advised at the time of calling the Travel Visa Company.
Laos: A visa is required for entry into Laos and this can be purchased on arrival at the airport in Luang Prabang. The cost of this is approximately USD $35 per person and you will need to bring the money in cash in order to apply for your visa on arrival into Laos.
Cambodia: A visa is required when travelling to Cambodia and can be purchased on arrival. The cost of this is approximately USD $30 per person and you will be required to bring a passport photo with you as well. Please note that it is important that there is plenty of space left in the passport, as a Cambodian visa alone takes up one page.
Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. We strongly advise you check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to date guidelines regarding visas and passport validity.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
If booking more than 10 weeks before departure a deposit of €300pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 10 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 10 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
Vietnam Airlines:
Baggage allowance (per person): Each passenger is entitled to 23kg of hold luggage.
Hand luggage: One piece of hand baggage and one accessory not exceeding 12kg total weight for both. The total dimension of one hand baggage item must not exceed 115cm (56cm x 36cm x 23cm). The total dimension of one accessory must not exceed 40cm x 30cm x 15cm. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with a good level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves climbing of steep stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 11, and the maximum will be 45. If in the unlikely event there are less than 11 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is a fully escorted tour meaning that you will be met by a local guide in each of the cities that you visit, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.
The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (VND), the currency in Laos is the Laotian Kit (LAO) and the currency in Cambodia is the Cambodian Riel (KHM). We recommend that you take some US Dollars (USD) with you and exchange this currency whilst you are travelling.
You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any dinners where these are not mentioned on your itinerary and personal purchases, such as souvenirs, extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £300-£400 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.
Tipping is not compulsory at is at your discretion. Should you wish to tip, you can give this to your guide and driver when you leave them in each place. If you feel you have received a good level of service, we recommend approximately £2 ($3) per person per day for the guide and driver. This will be collected at the end of each destination visited for your convenience. Tipping for the porters at your hotels and the crew during the Halong Bay Cruise Bay Cruise will be at your discretion. Tips are accepted in the local currency, US dollars and British pounds.
| Depart UK | Arrive UK | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Dates | |||
| 13 Jan 2024 | 29 Jan 2024 | €3695.00 | |
| 20 Jan 2024 | 05 Feb 2024 | €3807.00 | |
| 27 Jan 2024 | 12 Feb 2024 | €3695.00 | |
| 17 Feb 2024 | 04 Mar 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 24 Feb 2024 | 11 Mar 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 02 Mar 2024 | 18 Mar 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 09 Mar 2024 | 25 Mar 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 23 Mar 2024 | 08 Apr 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 06 Apr 2024 | 22 Apr 2024 | €3807.00 | |
| 13 Apr 2024 | 29 Apr 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 04 May 2024 | 20 May 2024 | €3247.00 | |
| 18 May 2024 | 03 Jun 2024 | €3079.00 | |
| 01 Jun 2024 | 17 Jun 2024 | €2967.00 | |
| 15 Jun 2024 | 01 Jul 2024 | €3247.00 | |
| 06 Jul 2024 | 22 Jul 2024 | €3359.00 | |
| 27 Jul 2024 | 12 Aug 2024 | €3359.00 | |
| 07 Sep 2024 | 23 Sep 2024 | €3359.00 | |
| 14 Sep 2024 | 30 Sep 2024 | €3471.00 | |
| 05 Oct 2024 | 21 Oct 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 12 Oct 2024 | 28 Oct 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 26 Oct 2024 | 11 Nov 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 09 Nov 2024 | 25 Nov 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 23 Nov 2024 | 09 Dec 2024 | €3583.00 | |
| 30 Nov 2024 | 16 Dec 2024 | €3583.00 | |
Unfortunately, we do not have any places with no single supplements on this tour. However, if you are happy to share with another passenger of the same gender, then let us know at the time of booking and we will endeavour to find you a travelling partner. Alternatively, please ask about our single supplement prices in order to book your own room.
If the group departure dates are not suitable for you or you would prefer a more personal and flexible experience then you can choose to book a private guide for your tour at a reasonable supplement.
Please note the hotels given are a guidelines only and may change. If the hotels detailed are not available, alternatives will be used of a similar standard. Please refer to your final documentation for confirmation of your hotels. You will receive this between 7-10 days before departure.
Please note: the Halong Bay cruise itinerary may change depending on the boat used.
12 °C / 38 °C
Please familiarise yourself with the climate charts below.
Future hotels were either excellent with good facilities and big rooms to outstanding as in Laos where the hotel was paradise and everyone wanted to stay longer.
I would say this was a very enjoyable tour led in five different destinations by five articulate and knowledgeable guides. Hotels were excellent and the food was stunning with nice variations from region to region.
All in all a wonderful holiday.
Impressive selection. Laos and Cambodia hotels were particularly better than we expected.
Hoi An Central Boutique Hotel, La Casa Hanoi Hotel, Victory Cruise, Villa Santi Resort and Tara Angkor Hotel were all Excellent. Service at Tara Angkor was outstanding.
All fantastic hotels
Hotels were exceptional.
Lake boat trip was amazing.
Villa Santi Resort and Spa in Luang Prabang and Hoi An Central Hotel we thought were exceptional, these were our favourite hotels.
Excellent choice of hotels, especially Laos.
Some hotels were better than others, but all were of a reasonable standard.
We mentioned when booking the trip was for our 50th Anniversary. We received a total of 3 cakes and a bottle of wine from the hotels in Vietnam, which we very much enjoyed. We thanked all concerned and now say thanks to Mercury.
Welcome packs-The welcome pack from Mercury and welcome letter from Mr Lee in Vietnam was a pleasant touch a it enabled us to be informed and plan ahead.
Tour guides- Tour guides were fantastic and all passionate, enthusiastic to share knowledge about their country. Ms Tam in Hanoi and Janna in Siem Reap were both flexible with changes in itinerary and activities and consulted with group first given us choices (i.e. cable cart ride in Hanoi which was not factored in the itinerary but the group wanted to go so Ms Tam made it happen. Mr Janna changed the itinerary for sunset at Angor Wat to following day due to unexpected rainy weather and again consulted times with the who wanted to go.) Not sure why we had to tip the tour guides and driver given the fact that they were part of the travel package and would expect them to have a good, competitive salary and travelers d not always have the correct change to hand therefore always over tipping then the basic requirements stated .
Meal times-It would've been nice to have tour guides seated with us at meal times instead of segregation so that they could tell us specifically what our meal consist and how to eat certain food of as local restaurants struggled with English and tour guides were sat far away for us to approach them and ask.
The timings for lunch and dinner were too close together. The food was delicious but substantial hence a lot of food was waste or left over sadly as we were too full to eat. There would've been enough food for tour guides to eat the same cuisines as us instead of separate meals due to personal budget and create social class status unintentionally. Set menu's were not to everyone's liking and some chef struggled to meet diet requirements especially vegetarians as we weren't sat next to one another and usually had to wait to be served.
Health and Safety of travellers-Finally risk assessment should be required or medical questionnaire completed as part of basic health and safety in advance giving the customer the responsibly for their actions. We had two fellow travelers who struggled with climbing stairs and had walking sticks and a few who were asthmatic. One lady had recently had a hip replacement and fell three time during our travel in public space. It puts travel guides in difficult position to tell customer not to join in especially considering they have paid for the activities and jeopardise their health not to mention slow group down a we had to wait for them to catch up with us and ensure everyone was safe. Not all of Unesco sites had stair /grab rails so safety issue if someone is not physically mobile or afraid of heights.
Beside the constructive feedback and solutions, I found the holiday to go over and beyond my expectations. I will highly recommend Mercury holidays to friends and family and use your service again for my future travel needs.
All hotels were at least good. One or two were very good indeed. Good rooms. Comfortable beds. Good facilities. Good breakfasts. None disappointed.
Hotels were all good with good facilities and in good locations.
Good variation. Hotel in Laos was exeptional.
Hotels were very good - better than I expected.
We especially liked the Santi Resort Hotel in Luang Prabang.
All were excellent standard and service was first class
Hotel rooms and hotel staff were excellent. Some of the hotels were a little further out of the main town than we would have liked though.
Hotels generally good to excellent.
Our trip included 5 local guides. The guides in Saigon, Hoi An/ Hue and Hanoi were excellent. The guide in Luang Prabang (Laos) was good.
However we were very dissatisfied with the guide in Siem Reap, Cambodia. (He called himself "Tee".) His standard of English was limited and he spoke with a heavily accented accent - thus making it very difficult to understand him. His narrative was heavily imbued with his personal religious and spiritual beliefs - without any understanding of the potential differences of opinions on such matters among our tour group. His poor standard of guiding at the Ankor Wat temples detracted from our enjoyment of one of the tour highlights and many of the group detached themselves from his narrative.
At check-in in Siem Reap Airport, he was unable to say if our luggage would be transferred directly to Heathrow - following a query from some tour members.
However, he did bring us to all the locations included in the itinerary, and he also brought us to an additional item that was not included.
Overall, we do not think that he met the minimum standard for guiding.
Second meal in Laos was not good ,it was an attempt at a local BBQ and it was poor.
Five different and very good quality hotels. For three their locations meant that there was something to visit in our free time on the doorstep..
Excellent choices - particularly the new hotel used in Hoi An and the last hotel in Siem Reap.
Hotels in general very good, hotel in Laos in particular stunning !!
All were fine and serviceable.
We particularly liked the hotel in Laos.
Mercury Holidays offer good value and good destinations
All hotels of very acceptable 4star standard
We were very happy with the hotels which were of an excellent standard in all three countries
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