Vietnam and Philippines Discovery with Hanoi City Stay

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 £390.14pp 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 Entry Requirements

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

Philippines Entry Requirements

A valid passport is required for all visitors. Generally, visitors may stay without a visa for up to 30 days, provided they have an onward or return journey ticket. There are however certain nationalities who are required to apply for a visa when travelling to the Philippines.

You must also register with the ‘e-travel’ system, https://etravel.gov.ph/, 72 hours or less prior to your arrival.

It is advisable to check with the Philippine Embassy or consulate for visa requirements. 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.

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.

Yellow fever vaccination is required for travellers arriving from infected areas. This does not apply to children under one year of age, although isolation may be required.

Malaria is present in some provincial regions but does not affect Manila. Dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases occur throughout the country, particularly during the rainy season from June to November. Travellers should take precautions against insect bites, including using repellent and wearing long, light-coloured clothing.

Medical care is adequate in major cities but limited in provincial areas and remote islands. Private hospitals in Metro Manila are well equipped and internationally accredited. Upfront payment or proof of payment is usually required, and treatment can be expensive. Comprehensive travel insurance, including medical evacuation, is recommended. While medications are widely available in major cities, travellers should bring any regularly used medicines with them.

This information is provided as general guidance only, and it is your responsibility to check applicable health and vaccination requirements and seek medical advice before travel. Health risks and hygiene standards vary by country, and travellers should seek personalised medical advice well in advance of travel.

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 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 the Philippines is the Philippine Peso (PHP). Banknotes are available in denominations of ₱20, ₱50, ₱100, ₱200, ₱500, and ₱1,000, with coins used for smaller amounts. We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. ATMs are widely available in cities and tourist areas, but access may be limited in rural locations.

Foreign currency can be exchanged at banks, large hotels, and some shopping centres. You may be asked to show your passport when exchanging money. Major credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard, are accepted in most hotels, restaurants, and shops. In remote areas, cash is often preferred.

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 meals where these are not mentioned in your itinerary and personal purchases, such as souvenirs, extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £300-£400 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.

Tipping is not compulsory in Vietnam 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 at your discretion.

Tipping is not compulsory in Philippines and is at your discretion to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend to tip approximately $2 USD per person per day. Tips are accepted in the local currency.

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 that you will have the services of an English speaking guide during each excursion 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 extended stay in Hanoi is at your leisure. Transfers will be included.

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.

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, Vietnam and the Philippines. 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 (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 meal 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. A bottle of water will be supplied daily on this tour

If you are travelling within the below Vietnamese 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). During these times, the atmosphere can be lively with various cultural celebrations taking place across both countries.

Semana Santa is the most important event in the Philippine calendar as many Filipino people celebrate the Catholic religion. It is a time for people to be with their loved ones and celebrate. During this week many shops and business close for the celebrations and tourist attractions will be open but may be crowded.

During visits to churches and/or temples, both men and women must wear long trousers or skirts that cover the knees, and tops with sleeves to ensure shoulders are covered.

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

On your arrival in Manila you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Blue Horizons Travel, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Blue Horizons Travel representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.

Vietnam:

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

Phillipines:

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:

Blue Horizons Travel

Contact number: +639178840563

Email: carla.mariano@bluehorizons.travel

• Insect repellent and sun cream
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Waterproof, lightweight jacket
• Sunglasses and hat
• Binoculars
• Camera and charger
• Loo paper for public WCs
• Long sleeve shirt and long trousers
• Anti-bacterial hand sanitiser
• Personal toiletries
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
• Travel plug adapter – Vietnam operates on 220–240 V and uses two-round-pin or two-flat-pin plugs. The Philippines operates at up to 220 V and requires a flat-prong plug adapter.