Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia REVAMP - Private Tour

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the regional flights within and between South-East Asian countries 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.

Vietnam visa requirements

A visa is not required for stays up to 45 days for British Passport holders travelling to Vietnam. All customers are required to fill out a digital arrival card when arriving at Saigon airport. The card must be filled out before arrival on the Vietnamese Government’s website https://prearrival.immigration.gov.vn/. Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. Passports must have at least 6 months validity from your date of entry and a minimum of 2 blank pages. However, we strongly advise you check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity.

Laos visa requirements

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 $40 per person and you will need to bring the money in cash in order to apply for your visa on arrival into Laos. Alternatively you can apply for your visa online at https://laoevisa.gov.la/index . If you are applying online you need to apply at least 3 days in advance.

Additionally, you will need to complete the Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF) online. The form can be accessed via the following link: https://www.immigration.gov.la/en/registration/arrival/arrival-info. You should submit your LDIF 3 days before arriving in Laos.

Cambodia visa requirements

You must have a visa to enter Cambodia as a visitor. Tourist visas are valid for 30 days from the date of entry into Cambodia. Make sure your passport is stamped on arrival and keep the departure form. If you lose your departure form, you’ll need to contact immigration officials before you leave the country to make alternative arrangements. You must apply for your visa at least 4 days in advance using the link https://www.evisa.gov.kh/ . The cost of this is approximately USD $37 per person. Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. Passports must have at least 6 months validity from your date of entry. However, we strongly advise you check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity.

All travellers are required to complete and submit an e‑Arrival application within 7 days prior to their arrival using the official website, https://arrival.gov.kh. Once the online form is successfully submitted, travellers will receive a unique QR code that must be presented to immigration officers upon arrival.

Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. Passports must have at least 6 months validity from your date of entry and a minimum of 2 blank pages. However, we strongly advise you check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding 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, 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 is rated as Challenging. This is largely due to the amount of travelling on this tour. 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.

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. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in local currency. Money can be exchanged at the airport or branches of government banks. Credit and debit cards are accepted in most hotels and some shops and restaurants.

The currency in Laos is the Lao kip (LAK). No coins are currently in use in Laos as they use notes only. US Dollars are widely accepted in Laos should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in local currency.

The currency in Cambodia is the Cambodian Riel (KHM). However, US Dollars are widely accepted in Cambodia should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in 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.

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 £200-£300 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.

Tipping is not compulsory and is at your discretion. However, should you wish to tip, we recommend you tip your guide approx. $4 per person per day and your driver approx. $2 per person per day. Please note tips on the Cruise ships are not included either and would recommend $2 per person per day. Tipping for the porters at your hotels and the crew during the Halong Bay Cruise will be at your discretion. Tips are accepted in the local currency, US dollars and British pounds.

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.

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

During this tour you will be spending the night on a Halong Cruise Ship. Comfortable cabins come with en suite facilities and air conditioning. Enjoy traditional Vietnamese food, cooked authentically each night.

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 Vietnam. 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. Due to your flights landing early in the morning on arrival day we have arranged an early check in for you so you can freshen up before your tour commences.

Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.

Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information. Vegan, 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, so to ensure your comfort and well-being, two bottles of drinking water will be provided on touring days.

If you are travelling within the below Vietnamese and Cambodian Public Holidays, please note that celebrations can last several days and during these times some businesses will be closed. Coach, air, and train travel may also be affected. Tourist attractions will generally remain open but may be crowded. In Vietnam, key holidays include Tet Holiday (between January and February), International Labour Day (1st May), Reunification Day (30th April), and National Independence Day (2nd September). In Cambodia, major public holidays include Khmer New Year (typically in April), Pchum Ben (usually in September or October), and the Water Festival (held in November). During these times, the atmosphere can be lively with various cultural celebrations taking place across both countries.

During visits to Churches/Temples please note both men and women need to wear long trousers or skirts to cover knees, and tops with sleeves to cover shoulders.

On your arrival in Saigon you will be met by a representative from our local agent, LV Travel, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/LV Travel representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your guide will be able to answer any queries.

Please find below the emergency contact details for LV Travel head office, Hanoi.

Contact Telephone number: Anna Hanh Office: 0084 865 016 939, Mr Len Office: 0084 989 200 116, Emergency cases: 0084 888713289

24 hour e-mail: operation@lvtravel.vn or len@lvtravel.vn

• Insect repellent
• Suncream and a hat with a big brim for sunny days
• Comfortable walking shoes such as trainers
• Sunglasses
• Ruck sack or light bag per person
• A small overnight bag to take on your cruise of Halong Bay
• Personal toiletries
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
• A plug adaptor - the electricity supply is 220 V. You will need a 2 round pin plug adapter – Plug type C/F
• Swimming costume
• Foldable umbrella