Vietnam and Cambodia Explorer - Summer with Laos Extension

Use discount code TOUR232 at the checkout to save £232 per person on selected tours departing in September 2026 and October 2026

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 €342.20pp 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.

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.

Vietnam visa requirements

A visa is not required for stays up to 45 days for British Passport holders. 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.

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.

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.

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, www.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 Vietnam and Cambodia Explorer is rated as Intermediate. 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 Cambodia is the Cambodian Riel (KHM). We recommend that you take some US Dollars (USD) with you and exchange this currency whilst you are travelling. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in local currency.

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.

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. American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels.

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. Approximately £200- £300 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour.

Tipping is not compulsory and is at your discretion. However, Should you wish to tip we recommend you tip your guide approx. USD $4 per person per day and your driver approx. USD $2 per person per day. Please note tips on the cruise ships are not included either and would recommend USD $2 per person per day. Additionally, If you want to tip your Bell boy, porter, Boat Crew etc this is up to your discretion. An additional $15 tip is recommended at the Vietnam and Cambodia border.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10 and the maximum will be 35. 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 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 always have first-hand knowledge.

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.

This is a fully escorted tour extension, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.

Please be advised that trains in Laos have restrictions on carry-on items, including aerosol cans, electronic cigarettes, sharp objects such as knives, as well as camping tools and multi-tools.

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.

Boats

During this tour you will be boarding various vessels. Cabins come with en suite facilities and air conditioning. However room size can be restrictive, If you would like to take a smaller overnight bag on to the ships this can be arranged by leaving your larger luggage on your tour bus overnight at your own risk. There will also be a trip on a motor boat to cross the Cambodian border. Please note this is a shared boat which is open at the back, it does not have air conditioning and usually holds 1 toilet for passengers. The Border crossing can take up to 2 hours.

Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch and 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, Tops with sleeve’s should be worn to cover shoulders.

On your arrival in Siem Reap 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.

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

• An electric plug converter - the electricity in Vietnam/Cambodia is 220-240 V. You will need a 2 round pin plug or 2 flat pin plug adapter
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Camera and charger
• Personal toiletries and first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
• Loo paper for public WCs
• Antibacterial hand gel
• Binoculars
• Sunglasses, Sunscreen and hat in summer
• Waterproof, lightweight jacket
• Lightweight clothing
• Sweater and jacket for the cooler months
• A small overnight bag to take on your cruise of Halong Bay
• Swimming costume
• Insect repellent