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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.
Depart London on your scheduled, overnight flight to Saigon International Airport.
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.
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.
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. Arrive 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.
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.
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.
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 Vung Vieng, an old floating village, by rowing boat. Anchoring at Ho Dong Tien, a Vietnamese cooking demonstration will take place on the sun deck, followed by a seafood dinner on board before you retire to your cabin.
Awake to the rising sun's glistening reflection from the centre of Halong Bay and begin your day with some calming Tai Chi. After breakfast, sail to the narrow arched Luon Cave and embark on a kayak or bamboo boat to get closer to this impressive formation which has a maximum height of 4 metres - depending on the tide! Return on board and sail towards Tuan Chau Marina where you will disembark and head back to the capital of Hanoi. Please note: the Halong Bay cruise itinerary may change depending on the boat used.
Following breakfast the day is left at leisure before transferring to the airport for your evening flight back to London.
For UK citizens a visa for Vietnam is only required for stays longer than 15 days or for multi entry visits. This changes to 45 days from the 15th August. You can apply for an e-visa online at https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. Alternatively, we work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa for you on your behalf. 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. 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.
Cambodia: If you have booked the Temples of Cambodia extension following your tour, you will need to purchase a visa for Cambodia which 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 you will need to have at least one completely blank page in your passport for the Cambodian visa to be issued.
Cambodia, or Hoi An extensions: If you have booked the Cambodia, or Hoi An, extensions following your tour, you will need to purchase a single entry visa for Vietnam. You can apply for an e-visa online at https://evisa. xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. 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'.
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.
All flights are operated by 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 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.
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.
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.
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!
| Depart UK | Arrive UK | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Dates | |||
| 09 Jan 2024 | 17 Jan 2024 | €2911.00 | |
| 04 Jun 2024 | 12 Jun 2024 | €2127.00 | |
| 03 Sep 2024 | 11 Sep 2024 | €2351.00 | |
| 10 Sep 2024 | 18 Sep 2024 | €2351.00 | |
Dong
12 hours
12 °C / 26 °C
Vietnamese
Please familiarise yourself with the climate charts below.
No comI really cannot fault your services, I will be booking again. The guides particularly are fantastic.
The hotels were spacious, immaculate and comfortable.
Hotels in Saigon and Hanoi both excellent - staff very friendly and helpful.
I would like there to be more choice for solo groups this was a fantastic holiday. I would like to go on more of these as i have already done China.
This extension includes visits to some of the most iconic and atmospheric sites in Cambodia, including the iconic Angkor Wat temple complex, the largest religious monument in the world.
View Tour + Extension
