Singapore, Malaysia and Borneo's Orangutans with Kota Kinabalu Beach Stay for Solo Travellers

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. 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. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to 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.

A visa is not required for your trip to Malaysia, Singapore or Borneo. However, your passport should have at least 6 months' validity from the date of entry into Malaysia and Singapore. 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.

Declaration form:

You must fill in the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) - https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main 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 - https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main for further information, including exemption details.

Singapore Arrival Card:

All arrivals in Singapore must complete an electronic SG Arrival Card in the 3 days before they enter Singapore. This online form asks for travel details and a health declaration. It is illegal to submit a false declaration. Biometric information is also recorded and scanned when you enter and depart Singapore (iris, facial and fingerprints).

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 finalised 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.

All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace of Singapore, Malaysia & Borneo is rated as Intermediate. This is largely due to long driving times on low quality roads on the north island. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, getting on and off coaches, boats and climbing steps which may be irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary. To visit the Batu Temple Caves will involve 272 concrete steps to climb up and down. There are no alternative ways up or down

Malaysia:

The currency in Malaysia & Borneo is the Malaysian ringgit, we recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. Cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency.

Singapore:

The currency in Singapore is the Singapore dollar, we recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. Cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card 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 for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

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 £400-500 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.

Tipping

Tipping is not compulsory; it is at your discretion to tip both your driver and guide. Should you wish to tip, your guide will collect it at the end of your tour for your convenience. We recommend approx. £4 per person per day.

Tourism Tax

Please note there is a tourism tax of 10 MYR per room per night payable locally (subject to change)

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10 and the maximum will be 35. In the unlikely event there are fewer than 10 passengers booked on your tour date, 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.

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 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 always have first-hand knowledge. Should the tour not meet minimum numbers, then it will be operated with local guides only.

Your stay in Kota Kinabalu is not escorted by a tour guide. Your time here will be free to do as you wish. Transfers are included.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. 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 Malaysia. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.

Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch and dinner where stated will be taken at local restaurants or at your hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes.

Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information. Vegan, and vegetarian options are available, all meal requests need to be sent over to our suppliers before travel.

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 of water is supplied daily on your tour.

Malaysia celebrates a wide range of religious holidays, the main two being Hari Raya Aidilfitri to mark the end of Ramadan and Deepavali which is the festival of light. It is a time for people to be with their loved ones, self-reflect and renew their faith. Most attractions will not be closed during this time but might be busier than normal. It is advisable to be more covered up to show respect to the local customs. We would recommend that women cover their shoulders and knees and men should wear knee length shorts or trousers when out in public areas during these times.

During visits to the Hindu temples at Batu Caves please note long trousers or skirts should be worn to cover knees, Long sleeved tops should be worn to cover shoulders.

On your arrival in Penang you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Wildlife Expeditions, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Wildlife Expedition representative will show you to your transfer vehicle.

Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries, however if you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:

Head office address: Wildlife expeditions Contact number: 006016 373 2803 Email: wildlife918@gmail.com

Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for Wildlife Expeditions: 24 hour Contact number: 006016 373 2803

• Sunglasses, Sunscreen and hat in summer
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Camera and charger
• Antibacterial hand gel
• Binoculars
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
• Small day pack for excursions
• Waterproof, lightweight jacket
• Lightweight clothing
• Sweater and jacket for the cooler months