Grand Tour of Borneo with Kota Kinabalu Beach Stay

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times or sailing conditions. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however order of events and sightseeing may vary according to the local conditions.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

To enter Borneo/Malaysia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least six months after the date you arrive, have at least one blank page, be undamaged and have no pages missing. A visa is not required for your trip to Borneo. 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 passport validity.

You must fill in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) - to enter Malaysia. You should complete this within 3 days prior to your arrival. The forms need to be filled in, and the registration email/letter should be printed for presentation at the customs gate. See the Malaysian Immigration website including exemption details.

Please note your final documentation will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalized on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0333 188 0407, quoting HX313.

IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.

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, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. 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.

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 people with a high level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves many active days of walking and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

The currency in Borneo is the Malaysian Ringgit (RM). We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK, however cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency and credit/debit cards are widely accepted.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card and passport details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card you may be asked fora cash deposit. American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels.

You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any meals where these are not mentioned on your itinerary and personal purchases, such as souvenirs, extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £200-£300 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.

It is at your discretion to tip both your driver and guide. We recommend approximately MYR 6 – MYR 12 (approximately £1 - £2) for your driver and guide each per day. Tips are accepted in the local currency.

The government of Malaysia has introduced a compulsory tourism tax of MYR10 (approximately £2) per room per night which will need to be paid locally to your hotel upon checkout.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 25. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 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.

There is no minimum number of travellers for this extension however the main tour passenger numbers will apply for the main part of the tour. If in the unlikely event there are less than the required number of people booked on your main 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.

This is an escorted tour, meaning you will have the services of an English speaking guide throughout your tour ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.

Private Tour: If you have booked a private tour then you will be accompanied by a Driver Guide or a Driver and Local Guides. These will be available to you during all scheduled sightseeing. Private Tours can depart on any day of the week depending on flight and train schedules and the opening days of the attractions. They will follow the itinerary as described in the brochure unless you have been advised otherwise and you will still have all of the same meals, sightseeing and local excursions included

Your stay in Kota Kinabalu is not escorted by a tour guide. You will have a driver for your airport transfers.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to Lodges. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Borneo. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs. If you have booked a triple share, please note that your room will be a twin room with a rollaway bed or sofa bed added. This may limit the floor space in the room.

Asian style food is served on this tour. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.

Vegetarian and Vegan options available, please request prior to departure. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. Bottled water will be available at shops and hotels.

On Arrival Information On your arrival, you will be met by a representative from our local agent – Wildlife Expeditions, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your guide will be able to answer any questions you may have.

Wildlife Expeditions -

Emergency contact: Mobile +6016 373 2803.