Guided tour of Angkor Wat temple complex. Local Khmer meal at G Adventures-supported project New Hope or a local home (Siem Reap). Floating market boat trip (Mekong Delta). Orientation walks in Phnom Penh, Hanoi, and Luang Prabang. Noodle making demonstration and lunch at Oodles of Noodles, a G Adventures-supported project. Halong Bay boat cruise with lunch. Witness the giving of alms in Laos. Mekong River homestay. Slow boat up the Mekong. Street food crawls in multiple cities. Internal flight. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
Please note that if you have booked the "My Own Room" option for this tour, you will receive your own single accommodation for all night stops, with the following exceptions: Days 1 & 30 – multi-share; Days 8 & 25 – homestay; Days 10, 12, 16, & 28 – sleeper train.
A variety of styles of hotels/guesthouses are used on this trip. In many instances they might not be like what you are used to back home as service and efficiency can vary. In some areas we stay in simple local guest houses in stunning locations - rooms are small and simple and there may only be shared toilet facilities and showers.
THAILAND - Most nationalities do not need a visa for Thailand for stays of 30 days or less but if you do they are available on arrival at Bangkok Airport. Please ensure you obtain a multiple entry Visa as we do exit and re-enter Thailand on this tour.
CAMBODIA - Visas can be obtained in advance from your local Embassy or on arrival in Bangkok (if your tour begins in Thailand). You will need at least one full working day to arrange this. You can also obtain your visa at the Cambodian border or Siem Reap Airport for approx. $30 USD very easily. Please have *at least* 2 passport photos with you as well.
VIETNAM - If you require a visa for Vietnam, they need to be arranged ahead of time (BEFORE your trip) as the processing time varies and they are not available upon arrival. For many nationalities, an E-visa can not be processed if entering Vietnam at a land border. As of March 2017, a select 40 nationalities are now eligible to enter Vietnam with an E-visa at a land border. Please contact your Foreign Ministry or Vietnamese consulate to see if your nationality is eligible.
Please note that while MOST countries require a Visa ahead of time for Vietnam, certain countries may be allowed entrance for 15 days with proof of exit. As of July 1st, 2015 this will include citizens of Scandinavian countries, Japan, Russia, the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. However, we STRONGLY recommend checking with your Embassy on the requirements as these change often. Please contact your Foreign Ministry for up to date entry/exit requirements. Your CEO (tour leader) will provide your departure details from Vietnam to you on tour.
LAOS - Visas are issued upon arrival in Laos. You will need two passport size photographs and approx $50. Tourists are generally admitted to Laos for 15 days with a visa on arrival or for 30 days with a visa issued at a Lao embassy. Please bring lots of visa photos with you.
During this tour the local currencies you will use are the Thai Baht, US Dollar, Cambodian Riel, Vietnamese Dong and Laos Kip. As currency exchange rates in South East Asia do fluctuate, we ask that you refer to the following website for the most up to date daily exchange rates: www.xe.com for each of the above mentioned currencies. The best way to carry your money is in debit cards, withdrawing cash in local currencies from ATM machines. ATMs are found throughout South East Asia and will generally accept cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks. It is a great idea to travel with both a Visa and Mastercard if at all possible in case of loss or problems with one card, you will have a back up. Please note, your bank will charge a fee for overseas withdrawals. USD Cash is recommended for times when ATMs are not accessible. You should bring some cash with you for emergency situations (please refer to our trip dossier) but carrying only cash is a high safety risk. ATM card/s and some cash is the ideal mix. Travellers cheques can be tricky, timely and expensive to exchange. While we do not recommend that you bring them as your primary source of funds, it is great to have one or two cheques in case of emergency. Thomas Cook or American Express travellers' cheques in US currency are the easiest to exchange. Cash advances can also be made with some banks but are time consuming and tend to have high fees attached.Credit cards can be used at some upmarket restaurants, and at some larger stores if shopping for big items. If you are bringing US Dollars, please make sure that the notes are new and in good condition. Notes older than 2003, or with any tears or blemishes may not be accepted. Be fussy with your bank when buying cash!
Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $500 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!
Optional Activities: USD350 for optional activities not included in the trip.