Impressions of Vietnam

From the ancient waterways of the Mekong Delta to the bustling cities of Hanoi and Saigon, this captivating tour is a great introduction to this unique and vibrant country.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: UK to Saigon

Depart London on your scheduled, overnight flight to Saigon International Airport.

Day 2: Saigon

On arrival in Saigon, also known as Ho Chi Minh, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel. Relax in the afternoon before enjoying a welcome dinner at a local Vietnamese restaurant.

Dinner

Day 3: Saigon

After breakfast travel to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an impressive network of underground tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. En route your tour will pass through a traditional rice paper making village before your lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, start your city tour with a visit to the Reunification Palace, the former home and workplace of the president of South Vietnam during the war. Continue to the nearby Notre Dame Cathedral which was built between 1877-1883 and is the major seat of the Catholic religion in Vietnam. You will then travel to the French-style Saigon Post Office followed by the Thien Hau Pagoda and a local lacquer ware workshop.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Saigon to Can Tho

In the morning you will drive to My Tho where you will board a boat for a cruise down the Mekong River, passing floating markets, local villages and the four islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Turtle. Your boat will dock at Unicorn Island, giving you the chance to visit farms selling exotic fruits and a coconut sweet workshop where you can sample these local delights. A horse drawn cart ride will follow, arriving at a bee farm to enjoy their traditional honey tea, then a tour down the Vam Chua Canal on a rowing boat. Continue to Can Tho where you will spend the night.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Can Tho to Hanoi

Your morning in Can Tho will begin with a gentle trip through the picturesque canals and waterways in a small boat, taking in the sultry scenery and daily activities of the small boat vendors of the floating markets who live along these Mekong canals, as well as stopping at the spectacular Cai Rang floating market - the largest in the entire Mekong Delta. Before cruising back to land enjoy tasting tropical fruits at the Ba Cong Garden House. After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant you will be transferred to the airport in Can Tho for your flight to Hanoi where you will then have the night to settle in.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Hanoi

Your full day tour of Hanoi begins with the ancient Temple of Literature, then the Presidential Palace and the famous One Pillar Pagoda. A short drive out of the city centre follows where you can take part in a local Vietnamese cooking demonstration and enjoy your delicious creation for lunch. The afternoon continues with a visit to the Vietnam History museum, and a photo opportunity at the Hanoi Opera House, a beautiful colonial building, then a walking tour of the Old Quarter. In the evening sit back and enjoy a thousand year old Water Puppet Show.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Hanoi to Halong Bay

This memorable day takes you to the awe-inspiring Halong Bay where you will explore these tranquil islands on a luxury cruise boat, passing local towns and intricate limestone formations on the way. Take a tour of Thien Canh Son Cave, an ethereal wonderland of ancient carvings and suspended stalactites that hang beneath a canopy of glistening gems. Anchoring in the Cong Do area, a Vietnamese cooking demonstration will take place on the sundeck, followed by a sumptuous seafood dinner on board before you retire to your cabin for the evening.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Halong Bay to Hanoi

Start your day with a calming Tai Chi session before a rowing boat takes you to Vung Vieng fishing village, a settlement completely floating on water and dating back hundreds of years. In the afternoon, pass sprawling rice paddies and rolling hillside landscapes, as you travel back to Hanoi for a local dinner and your overnight stay.

Brunch & Dinner

Day 9: Hanoi to the UK

Following breakfast the day is left at leisure before transferring to the airport for your evening flight back to London.

Breakfast

Your Meals

Breakfast will always be served at your accommodation each morning during the tour.
Lunch and Dinner, where included, will be served in local restaurants or at your accommodation.

Important Information

Visas

The Vietnamese Government have instated a visa exemption period for citizens of the UK who travel before 30/06/18. The visa exemption is valid for stays of up to 15 days in Vietnam. To be valid for the exception your passport must be valid for at least 6 months at the time of entry. Stays of longer than 15 days, stays beyond 30/06/18 or travellers undertaking multiple entries to Vietnam will still require a visa. We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange this visa for you on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. The cost of the visa is approximately £98.50. The visas take around 10 working days to issue and are only valid for three months from the date of entry. Therefore we 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 you will not need it during this time. Alternatively, you can visit the Embassy of Vietnam in London: 12-14 Victoria Road, London, W8 5RD. Travellers from countries other than the UK should contact the Embassy of Vietnam to check their status. If you choose to book the Temples of Cambodia extension before the Hoi An Beach Stay extension then you will require a multi entry visa for Vietnam.

Insurance

You must obtain suitable travel insurance prior to departure. Mercury Holidays is partnered with Holiday Extras which offer insurance at the following prices:

Age in Years	Up to 64	65 - 74	75 - 85
Up to 10 days cover	£37	£72	£104

For all persons 86 years and over, please contact us for insurance prices. 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.

Payment

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.

Flight Information

All flights are operated by Vietnam Airlines. Each passenger is entitled to 20kg of hold luggage & hand luggage of 5kg not exceeding 56cm x 36cm x 23cm in size. Flight times are for guidance only & subject to change.

Health and Vaccinations

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.

Physical Accessibility

This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, often on foot, and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

Group Size

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 40. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date then you may be asked to change to a different date. A full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

Tour Guide

This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your national guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip. You will also be joined by a local guide in each of the cities which you visit, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.

Currency Information

The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong, known as VND. You can exchange your currency in Vietnam, however US Dollars are widely accepted in Vietnam should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you. The currency in Cambodia is the Cambodian Riel, known as AHR. You can exchange your currency in Cambodia, however US Dollars are widely accepted in Cambodia should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you.

Personal Expenses

You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any personal purchases, such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £100 - £200 will be sufficient for the duration of the tour, depending on how much of a bargain-hunter you are!

Tour Dates & Prices

Depart UK	Arrive UK	Price
2017 Dates
08 Nov 2017	17 Nov 2017	€1861pp
15 Nov 2017	24 Nov 2017	€1861pp
22 Nov 2017	01 Dec 2017	€1994pp
06 Dec 2017	15 Dec 2017	€1994pp
2018 Dates
17 Jan 2018	26 Jan 2018	€1914pp
31 Jan 2018	09 Feb 2018	€1861pp
28 Feb 2018	09 Mar 2018	€1927pp
14 Mar 2018	23 Mar 2018	€1927pp
04 Apr 2018	13 Apr 2018	€1861pp
18 Apr 2018	27 Apr 2018	€1768pp
02 May 2018	11 May 2018	€1807pp
16 May 2018	25 May 2018	€1728pp
30 May 2018	08 Jun 2018	€1714pp
13 Jun 2018	22 Jun 2018	€1502pp
27 Jun 2018	06 Jul 2018	€1834pp
11 Jul 2018	20 Jul 2018	€1861pp
05 Sep 2018	14 Sep 2018	€1861pp
19 Sep 2018	28 Sep 2018	€1754pp
03 Oct 2018	12 Oct 2018	€1807pp
17 Oct 2018	26 Oct 2018	€1807pp
31 Oct 2018	09 Nov 2018	€1861pp
14 Nov 2018	23 Nov 2018	€2047pp
28 Nov 2018	07 Dec 2018	€2047pp

Travelling Alone?

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 twin room.

Please note

On the Halong Cruise you will either be booked into a twin or double room.

Private Tours

If the group tour departure dates and not suitable for you and you would prefer a more personal and flexible experience than you can choose to book a private guide for your tour at a reasonable supplement.

Customer rating:10/10

J Wormington6th Apr 2017

One of the best touring holidays we have done. An amazing experience, so well organised and very good value.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Elaine Parker3rd Apr 2017

All the hotels we stayed in were very clean and staff were very helpful in everyone

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:7.5/10

Janet Akhtiary31st Mar 2017

Le belhamy was dissappointing. Would not class as 4*. The toilets by the pool were filthy and out of order majority of the time.
The pool bar did not have any stock therefore you had to wait on the items being requested at the restaurant then delivered to the bar.

Overall satisfaction
7.5
Value for money
7.5

Customer rating:7.5/10

Kathy Merson26th Mar 2017

All hotels were good standard

Overall satisfaction
7.5
Value for money
7.5

Customer rating:10/10

Pam West10th Mar 2017

Saigon hotel fine for a short stay - central location, comfy bed, great shower but room very small and no case rack which meant our luggage took up most of the floor space.
Can Tho hotel - good room and central location
Hanoi hotel - good room and great breakfast but quite a long walk from the central lake with several very busy roads to cross.
Food on Halong Bay cruise fabulous
Sunrise Hotel in Hoi An - fabulous

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Stephen Macnaughton-wright22nd Feb 2017

The Tara Angkor in Siem Reap was fantastic, the Golden Central Hotel in Saigon was acceptable

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:8.8/10

Graem Preston15th Feb 2017

The Golden Central Hotel in Ho Chi Minh (the first on our itinerary) was the least best hotel. The rest were very good. Both teh tour guides were very professional, and the second guide (Giang, in Ha Noi) was excellent and made every effort to make our tour a pleasure.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
7.5

Customer rating:10/10

Theresa Horay15th Feb 2017

The guides we had, Tian in Saigon and River in Hanoi were absolutely brilliant. Friendly and knowledgeable, nothing was too much trouble for them. I celebrated my 75th birthday in Saigon and Tian bought me a beautiful chocolate coated birthday cake to share with our "Mercury Family". River bought lots of local treats for us to try.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Elizabeth Rimell7th Feb 2017

They were all lovely

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Robert Woodward28th Nov 2016

All good but Sunrise and Halong Bay boat excellent!

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Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Wendy Maycraft9th Nov 2016

Loved the rooftop swimming pool in Ho Chi Minh City. Loved the Sunrise in Hoi Ann, though I did think they could have provided full free wifi.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Isabel Church17th Oct 2016

Loved the whole holiday and thoroughly enjoyed being in a small group as it was more personal and got to know all the guides. Felt like we were stars as they were always so attentive to us. All the hotels were excellent and breakfasts were excellent with great variety of food. No negative comments to report.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Francis And Royston Essery6th Oct 2016

Yesterday my wife and I returned from your Impressions of Vietnam Tour plus the Temples of Cambodia holiday and the purpose of this letter is to say thank you to you and your staff both in the UK and also those in Vietnam and Cambodia for giving us both such a wonderful time. We had a fabulous time all round. The tour manager went to great lengths to make sure everyone on the trip was well looked after and happy. The group we were with all got on brilliantly and we laughed a great deal. The hotels and their staff were very good, friendly and made the experience enjoyable and stress-free. The food was varied and plentiful. The places we visited were varied, interesting and wholly enjoyable. The pace was hectic with a lot packed in, but I would not change a thing here either. Whilst we were away my wife celebrated her birthday and that evening the whole group celebrated with us at dinner with a cake organised by the tour guide. How lovely was that? It made my wife so happy! In short this holiday exceeded all my expectations, thank you and your team so much and I will most definitely be happy to book with Mercury Holidays again.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Michael Avery27th Sep 2016

All the hotels and even the boat were just great!

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Louise Carrick27th Sep 2016

I will recommend you to all my friends. Could not fault anything. My granddaughter really enjoyed it too!

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Kathleen Murray25th Sep 2016

All the hotels were very good, especially those in Hanoi.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Janet Neale21st Jul 2016

Mr Nahn (Jack) in ,Saigon, did not give us a comments form, but we would like to thank him for his excellent work. He was a very friendly and helpful person, and very informative.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Alan Evans10th Jul 2016

Excellent hotels, good facilities and very clean. Staff always very helpful.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Graham Thompson9th Jul 2016

Very good hotels throughout.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Adrian Nathan9th Jul 2016

All the hotels we stayed in were very clean, modern and comfortable. Food was great at all of them

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Carol Osborne23rd Jun 2016

I have recently returned from the Impressions of Vietnam Tour, it was absolutely magical. You couldn’t fault it; from the itinerary to the tour guides Jack and Phon, everything was brilliant. It was an absolutely wonderful experience and one which I shall always remember. A big thank you to everyone involved.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Mary Margery11th Jun 2016

All the hotels were very good - The rooms were spacious and the included toiletries and water were most welcome. We enjoyed the pool and gym where available. Breakfast selection was excellent in all hotels.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Ruth Myers31st May 2016

I was really so impressed and satisfied with this so well organised holiday. No delays, excellent tour guides (3 of them). Every day was filled with interesting and fun palaces, museums and temples which helped us to understand the Vietnamese history, culture and people who were helpful, pleasant and generally lovely. Whoever designed this trip did a very good job. The many different hotels were superb and transport at the door always on time. The entertainment was so varied and successful I can’t comment on all but I was very excited with the trip to the underground village. I have told all my friends about it and am so pleased to have enjoyed Vietnam with your help.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Eileen Frew31st May 2016

I am writing to express my thanks, appreciation and special congratulations following my second wonderful trip to Vietnam and Cambodia with you. The standard of the hotel, tour managers and itineraries could not have been higher. Halong bay and Cambodia where pure magic. I would be grateful if you could forward me your latest tour brochure and I look forward to travelling with you again soon.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Heather Marfleet18th May 2016

All hotels were brilliant, with a great breakfast

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:8.8/10

David Pearce19th Mar 2016

Very pleased with the standard and location of all the hotels including the Le Belhamy.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
7.5

Customer rating:10/10

Karen Johnson16th Mar 2016

Great Value for money!

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:/10

Mary Pearce16th Mar 2016

This tour was excellent value for money. As a single traveller I felt very well looked after.

Customer rating:10/10

Trevor Sadler15th Feb 2016

Every hotel was very good standard.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Jonathan Pugh11th Nov 2015

Very good hotels

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Steve Carter4th Nov 2015

All hotels were very good, with excellent service.
The food, dining area t the Golden Central Hotel in Saigon could have been better.
A swimming pool at the Hanoi hotel would have been a great addition.
Also the bars seemed to close very early - for example we got back from dinner one evening in Can Tho at about 10.15 and fancied a drink in the bar but it had closed for the evening.
The Sunrise Hotel in Hoi An was excellent - an ideal place to relax after a fairly busy few days sight seeing.

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:10/10

Gordon Burrell8th Oct 2015

all hotels were of a very good standard and as good if not better than expected

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10

Customer rating:7.5/10

Heather Portlock7th Oct 2015

Hotels first class

Overall satisfaction
7.5
Value for money
7.5

Customer rating:7.5/10

Linda Smith7th Oct 2015

We appreciated the support of both tour guides, they were very informative. We would suggest that the tips could be included in the cost as it proved to be quite awkward as we not only had the coach driver to tip but also his assistant who had little to do but still expected his tip.

Overall satisfaction
7.5
Value for money
7.5

Customer rating:8.2/10

Simon Wood24th Apr 2015

Whilst all the hotels on the tour were good, the hotel in Cambodia was excellent with a beautiful pool and first class food and service. Highly recommend!

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10
Room
7.5
Service
7.5
Facilities
7.5
Cleanliness
7.5

Customer rating:10/10

Linda Durno11th Mar 2015

No complaints

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10
Room
10
Service
10
Facilities
10
Cleanliness
10

Customer rating:8.2/10

John Haley4th Mar 2015

Good quality hotels

Overall satisfaction
10
Value for money
10
Room
7.5
Service
7.5
Facilities
7.5
Cleanliness
7.5

Tour Map

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For the latest travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information you can visit their website at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.