15 Days Hanoi to Luang Prabang From Hanoi take a unique trekking adventure in North Vietnam and Laos. Discover UNESCO listed Halong Bay, gravity defying rice terraces and mist shrouded mountains. Meet the hill tribes and embark on a unique three day journey down Laos Nam Ou river on foot and by long boat, before ending in Luang Prabang, the Jewel of Indochina. HIGHLIGHTS AND INCLUSIONS Trip Highlights Hanoi - explore the atmospheric Old Quarter on a guided tour and watch a traditional water puppet show Halong Bay - kayak and discover the spectacular limestone peaks and islets of Halong Bay on an overnight Junk cruise Hike for three days through Vietnam's remote hill tribe villages and rice terraces, sleeping in traditional wooden stilted homestays and meeting the friendly people of the Thai and H mong tribes Sapa - spend a night in this charming old French mountain hill station and enjoy views of Mt Fansipan, the highest peak in Vietnam Embark on a unique three day journey down Laos Nam Ou river by long boat and trekking, from Muong Khua to Muong Ngoi Dien Bien Phu - learn all about the town s fascinating war history Spend a night in a remote H mong village in Laos, where they still wear traditional dress Pak Ou caves - explore the limestone karst caves, crammed full of hundreds of statues and images of Buddha Luang Prabang - discover the beautiful fusion of French colonial architecture and Buddhist temples on a guided tour and visit the famous waterfall at Kuangsi What's Not Included International flights and visa Tip for your tour and trek guides. Please refer to the tipping information in the Trip Notes for information. Tipping your guides is an entirely personal gesture DETAILED ITINERARY Day 1 : Hanoi What's Included 11 nights simple hotels, guesthouses and bungalows, 1 night Junk boat, 1 night homestay, 1 night fixed camp 14 breakfasts, 12 lunches and 8 dinners. Services of local English speaking guides in Vietnam and Laos. 6 days of trekking 7 days of sightseeing and touring, including a guided tour of Hanoi and Luang Prabang All land and river transportation throughout the itinerary. Group size: minimum: 4 / maximum: 15 A single timed group arrival and departure transfer on day 1 and day 13 (please refer to the trip notes for further information) Halong Bay Junk boat cruise - opt to swim, kayak and explore caves Meet at the group hotel in Hanoi. A single timed group transfer is provided for the 1hr journey to our hotel in the heart of the charming Old Quarter (please refer to the notes at the end of the itinerary for more information). Arrangements begin with a 'Welcome' dinner in one of Hanoi's traditional restaurants where we can sample some delicious North Vietnamese cuisine. Overnight - Hanoi (D) -1-
Day 2 : Halong Bay Day 3 : Halong Bay & Hanoi Hanoi - Halong Bay. If jet lag wakes you early we can recommend taking a pre breakfast wander down to Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Returned Sword). At dawn this area comes alive as the pavements around the lake fill with joggers and tai chi enthusiasts taking advantage of the cooler early morning air. Halong Bay - Hanoi. We will take breakfast on board as we continue the cruise passing the extraordinary rock formations that tower out of the bay. We will also have the chance to take a small boat out through the arch of Luon cave. After breakfast we leave Hanoi behind and drive through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta. We are sure to see scenes of everyday Vietnamese village life along the way, such as figures in conical hats tending rice fields and water buffalo. On reaching Halong Bay, we board our traditional junk on which we will cruise among the thousands of spectacular limestone islands that make up this UNESCO World Heritage Site. We enjoy a fresh seafood lunch on board, while the captain steers us out into the bay. We visit one of the most beautiful grottos and we will also have the opportunity to go kayaking on the bay. In the evening we will enjoy another meal of fresh seafood, careful prepared by our fantastic crew. After watching the sun go down in this fairytale-like environment we sleep on board of our boat. We stay in comfortable cabins, with private bathrooms (complete with showers), on board. Returning to the port at Halong we disembark and make the drive to Hanoi. We have the chance to take a short city tour, visiting the Temple of Literature dedicated to Confucius and his disciples and a walking tour of the atmospheric Old Quarter. The Old Quarter, consisting of around 35 streets is essentially the original pre-20th century Hanoi. Prior to the modern age each street was known for a particular trade and the street names still reflect this. Although only a few of these streets now carry on this tradition, the architecture still conjures up this former era and the street are still alive with industry. In the evening, we will head out to watch a traditional water puppet show. DRIVE TIME: 3-4 hours Overnight - Hanoi (B, L) Day 4 : Nghia Lo DRIVE TIME: 3-4 hours Overnight - Halong Bay (B, L, D) Hanoi - Nghia Lo. We breakfast at our Hanoi hotel before driving through the Red River Delta and into the mountains of Yen Bai province. This area is home to the Thai, Nung, H'mong, La Ha and Ma people. Eventually we arrive into Muong Lo and the town of Nghia Lo, which claims the second largest rice field in the Northwest Vietnam. This area is the homeland of the Thai who first came here to grow rice around 700 years ago. The landscape is dotted with their traditional houses, made from iron and bamboo. We stretch our legs after our long drive with our walking tour around the nearby villages where we can learn about the Thai ethnic culture and their day to day life. DRIVE TIME: 6 hours TIME: 2 hours walking Overnight - Nghia Lo (B, L, D) Day 5 : Mu Cang Chai Nghia Lo - Mu Cang Chai. Departing in our vehicle we drive up through the mountains of Hoang Lien Son on a scenic road that winds up and through the rice terraces. Reaching the trail head we leave our vehicle behind and hike the rest of the way through the villages of Na Hang 1, Na Hang 2 and Trong Suam, which are home to the H'mong people. The landscape here is a stunning tapestry of rice fields, misty mountains, and wooden stilted houses. Many of the friendly people we will meet here will be clothed in tribal dress. Life is still very traditional here so this is a fantastic place to spend time if you are interested in learning about the culture of rural North Vietnam. We will enjoy a 4hr walk through the countryside before meeting our vehicle and continuing the drive to Mu Cang Chai. Mu Cang Chai is an attractive town with impressive terraced rice fields. The beauty of these photogenic rice fields draws a large number of both Vietnamese and foreign travellers. We stay nearby in a traditional village homestay. DRIVE TIME: 2-3 hours -2-
TIME: 4-5 hours walking DISTANCE: 12km ASCENT: 400m / DESCENT: 400m Overnight - Mu Cang Chai (B, L, D) Day 6 : La Pan Chai happens to be one of the most beautiful mountainous stretches of road in the whole of Vietnam! If we are travelling through on a Sunday or a Thursday we should hopefully also get to experience the colourful market at Phong Tho as we are pass through. The road weaves its way through the picturesque valley, past many small villages of Red and White H'mong, Black Dao and White Thai ethnic minorities. We eventually reach Muong Lay in the late afternoon, where we will overnight in a hotel. DRIVE TIME: 6 hours Overnight - Muong Lay (B, L) Mu Cang Chai - Sapa. Today we enjoy an easier walk, but through a magnificent landscape, to La Pan Tan, the capital of Vietnam rice terraces. Our balcony path connects the H'Mong villages of Mi Hang Tau, Trong Tong and La Pan Tan. In the afternoon, we transfer to Sapa. This drive takes us high up over the Tram Ton Pass, the highest mountain pass in Vietnam (2047m). We can spend a little time on top of the pass to take photos and enjoy the cooler (and very often windier!) atmosphere. From here, weather allowing, we should be able to see Fansipan (3143m) the 'roof of Indochina', though usually partially hidden behind its ever present shroud of cloud. We should arrive into Sapa in the late afternoon where we will check into our hotel accommodation. This evening we are free to look around Sapa or rest at the hotel. There are a range of dining options in Sapa, so tonight's dinner is not included leaving you free to choose the budget and style of your evening meal - you might want to head out and find some delicious street food. DRIVE TIME: 3-4 HOURS TIME: 4 hours walking DISTANCE: 10km ASCENT: 400m / DESCENT: 400m Overnight - Sapa (B, L) Day 7 : Muong Lay Sapa - Muong Lay. After having breakfast we depart Sapa for Muong Lay. Today will be our longest driving day, the compensation is that the road from Sapa to Phong Tho (Paso) Day 8 : Dien Bien Phu Overnight - Dien Bien Phu (B, L) Day 9 : Welcome to Laos Dien Bien Phu - Muong Kha. After breakfast in hotel, we take a short transfer to Tay Trang, where we will say goodbye to Vietnam and hello to Laos! Once across the border we will be met by our new driver and our local Laotian guide. A further 3hr drive will take us to Muong Khua. The drive is scenic and we will pass through many villages, homes to the Red and Black Thai ethnic tribes and we will stop where possible to hop out and experience a bit of village life. We will arrive into Muong Khua in the early afternoon. This is a pretty and laid back little town, which is built on a steep hillside at the confluence of two rivers, the famous Nam Ou and the Nam Phak. Overnight in hotel. DRIVE TIME: 3-4 hours Overnight - Muong Khua (B, L, D) Day 10 : Nam Ou River Muong Lay - Dien Bien Phu. This morning we drive the last stretch into historic Dien Bien Phu. We can spend the rest of the day exploring around the historical sights of this remote town, which in 1954 was the setting for a climactic battle between Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh communist revolutionary forces, led by legendary Vietnamese general Vo Nguyen Giap, and the French Union. After a bloody battle and a 57 day siege the French forces finally surrendered. This was a decisive victory for the Viet Minh and one that would ultimately lead to North Vietnam finally gaining its independence from colonial rule. Among the sites we'll visit today are French General De Castrie's bunker, the excellent War Museum and the former French position of Eliane, known to the Vietnamese as A1 Hill, where we can see a monument to the Viet Minh casualties and a recreation of the French defences. Afterwards, we return to our hotel and have the evening free to discover some more local Vietnamese dishes on what will be our last night in Vietnam. Muong Kha - Ban Hui Loor. Today will be our longest walking day. In the early morning, we head to the famous Nam Ou River and board our traditional river boat, which will carry us 2hrs downstream to Ban Pak Boud. Nam Ou, literally translates as 'rice bowl river', and this one of the most important rivers in the whole of Laos and is a tributary of the Mekong. We will see some stunning scenery as we cruise along the river, flanked by tall limestone out crops and thick green jungle. From here we leave our main baggage behind, taking with us only what we need for one night, and continue our journey on foot through the beautiful mountain landscape inland and uphill to the village of Ban Huoi Loor, a village of the Hmong people. It is a uphill trek to the village, but worth the effort for this rare opportunity to DRIVE TIME: 3 hours -3-
spend the night in this unspoilt and traditional village. As we arrive into the village we will be welcomed by the local people, many of whom will still be wearing traditional dress. Getting settled we can freshen up with a 'natural shower' in a jungle stream or recover from the hike by relaxing in our own hammock. Tonight we will enjoy some traditional Laotian cuisine and sleep in simple wooden stilted bungalows. RIVER JOURNEY: 3-4 HOURS TIME: 5-6 hours walking ASCENT: 700m / DESCENT: 700m Overnight - Ban Huoi Loor (B, L, D) Day 11 : Ban Mok Laep Ban Hui Loor - Pha Sou. After enjoying a typical village style breakfast, we set of on foot for the village of Ban Mok Laep (an ethnic village of the Khmu people). We will have a little time to look around the village before we continue our journey back down towards the river and the village of Ban Phon Sana where we will meet our long boats again. We will take lunch in the village before cruising down to our fixed camp on the riverside at Pha Sou. Tonight we stay riverside amongst truly breath taking surroundings, a really unique experience. We will enjoy a BBQ dinner in this unforgettable setting. TIME: 5-6 hours walking ASCENT: 700m / DESCENT: 700m Overnight - Pha Sou (B, L, D) Day 12 : Muang Noi Pha Sou - Muang Noi. We will breakfast at our riverside jungle camp, before returning to our long boat for the short journey to Muang Ngoi, where we end our river journey. Though Muang Ngoi has only recently become accessible by 4x4, this small community will feel deceptively urban in comparison to the hill top village and riverside camp where we have spent the previous two nights! We will enjoy a much gentler walking day today, without any real ascent and descent, beginning with a short hike to visit the small limestone cave at Tham Kaang; a place where the local villagers hid during Indochina War (1960-1972). We will then take a path that meanders through the rice fields to Ban Na, a village of T'ai Deng ethnic, and Ban Houai Sene, a village of T'ai Deng and Khamu ethnic, where we will eat lunch at a simple local restaurant before returning to Muang Ngoi in plenty of time to be able to watch the sunset over the Nam Our river one last time. Tonight's accommodation is in a simple guesthouse, right on the banks of the river. RIVER JOURNEY: 30 minutes TIME: 4 hours walking Overnight - Muang Noi (B, L, D) Day 13 : Luang Prabang Muang Noi. - Luang Prabang. This morning we return to our long boats and the Nam Ou for the final cruise downstream to Nong Khiaw. Here we are met by our vehicle and begin the drive to Luang Prabang. We will break the journey at the caves at Pak Ou. These two caves, cut from the limestone karst are crammed full of hundreds of statues and images of Buddha all of varying shapes and sizes. We take lunch nearby at local restaurant located right on the banks of the mighty Mekong River before continuing on to Luang Prabang, which is situated at the confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Kahn rivers. We head straight to our hotel to check in and the rest of the afternoon/ evening is free to explore or relax, you may want to head out to find the night market. With numerous dining options available the venue and budget for dinner tonight is up to you! Where ever you choose to dine you are sure to be surrounded by beautiful colonial inspired architecture. DRIVE TIME: 4 HOURS Overnight - Luang Prabang (B, L) Day 14 : Luang Prabang Sightseeing We breakfast at the hotel before heading out to make the most of our day in the stunning Luang Prabang. Exploring by foot is the best way to take in the tranquil ambience of the town and today we will start early! After an early wakeup call and breakfast we will head out amongst pathways and alleys of the town, which are so atmospheric in the early dawn. It is at this time of day that hundreds of saffron-robed monks leave their monasteries with brass alms bowls to collect rice and offerings from the local people and visitors alike - a spectacle worth witnessing. Our first job today is to climb the 365 steps of the Phousi Mountain to enjoy a panoramic view at sunrise, a time when this popular site is still calm with the town shrouded in morning mist. After watching the sun come up, we'll head back down into town and begin our guided walking tour. We'll aim to see as many of the architectural and historical wonders of this UNESCO-protected town as we can. We'll begin at the former Royal Palace (now the National Museum - closed Mondays) where we can learn about the history of Laos. We will also visit many of the main temples including Wat Xieng Thong, the most revered temple in Luang Prabang. Located at the end of the peninsula, close to the Mekong, this temple was built in 1560 by King Setthathirat and is decorated with ornate carvings and mosaics. We'll also Wat Visoun, which was entirely rebuilt in 1887 having been -4-
destroyed by the invading Black Flags from Southern China. In the afternoon we head out to see the famous waterfall at Kuangsi, stopping to look around some local villages on our way. We return to our hotel late in the afternoon with time to change before heading out to celebrate the last night of your holiday. Tonight your guide will take you to the night market where there will be an absolute smorgasbord of traditional food to try, for this reason we have not included dinner on this final night. Overnight - Luang Prabang (B) Day 15 : Luang Prabang Our tour comes to an end today and there is a single timed group transfer to the airport this afternoon (please refer to the notes at the end of the itinerary for more information). (B) Our Partners Please note that this tour is operated by KE Adventure Travel. Travellers on your trip will have made their reservation with KE Adventure Travel or On The Go Tours. Is this holiday for you? This holiday is a mix of walking, sightseeing and cultural immersion. There will be 6 days of walking in total. The walking day is typically around 5-6 hours long, though we do have some shorter days. During our walks we will be hiking mostly on village trails and jungle tracks. Though generally straightforward when dry, the underfoot conditions can be muddy and a bit slippery following a rain shower, which can make things a bit more challenging. The heat and humidity can be a little strong in the middle of day, however the mornings and evenings at these altitudes are generally much cooler. We will not have access to our main baggage when we stay in the remote H mong Village of Ban Huoi Loor, so there will be two days where you need to be prepared to carry a slightly heavier pack with you minimal overnight gear (toiletries, sleeping wear, sleeping bag liner etc...). On all other days you will only be required to walk with a light day pack. The focus of this holiday is getting off the beaten track and into remote areas, and as such we will spend a series of nights in very simple, but traditional, accommodation with only basic facilities (see accommodation section for further information). Though the north of Vietnam is becoming more popular with visitors, the same cannot yet be said for delightful Laos. Tourism is very much still in its infancy here and because of this it is essential that you pack your spirit of adventure and prepare for an element of the unexpected! Travel Insurance It is a condition of joining any of our holidays that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks including repatriation costs. We advise you to arrange insurance at the earliest opportunity including cancellation cover to protect your deposit and any other payments should you subsequently need to cancel your holiday. You will need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration which will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. Food & Meals You can expect to feast on an A to Z of delicious Vietnamese and Laotian cuisine during the course of your stay! Start practising your chopstick technique now, as there may be no knives and forks for parts of this holiday. The cuisine of both countries is fresh, fragrant and flavoursome. Typically, for included meals, a selection of dishes or varying flavours will be served together and each person takes a little of each dish so there will usually be something to please everyone (vegetarians included!) at every meal. A typical meal will include Pho (noodle soup), spring rolls, spiced beef and pork dishes, fish in chilli, tomato served with tofu, stir fried we will send to you. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover all of our Active Tours. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking, mountain biking and climbing holidays. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. We recommend the "Travelex Select " package for our holidays. For residents of any other countries, please carefully select a comprehensive insurance policy which covers you for all of the activities on your tour. As with all travel insurance policies, it s advisable to pay close attention to the limits of cover for all sections, particularly medical cover, before purchasing the policy. Also please ensure that your policy covers you for hiking/cycling up to the maximum altitude you will reach on the holiday. vegetables and rice, with fresh fruit for dessert. Group Size & holiday status Dietary Requirements For this trip there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. It is essential that you DO NOT book flights until we have advised you that the trip is guaranteed to run and your booking is confirmed. Once the minimum number is reached, the departure date will have a 'G' next to it on our website. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we Please note that whilst we routinely cater for vegetarians, we cannot guarantee to provide for special diets. If you do have specific dietary requirements or allergies, please be sure to tell us in advance, and discuss this with your tour leader on arrival and liaise with them during the trip. Please note that we cannot provide separate menus for different diets and In Laos we can expect the addition of traditional Laotian food such as charcoal chicken, sticky rice and fried fish. Whilst on board our junk in Halong Bay we will certainly be treated to a variety of fresh and delicious sea food. In the larger towns and cities where there is a wide range of dining options and budgets (from street food to high class dining) it makes sense while staying in these places to leave the choice to you and therefore meals other than breakfasts and the welcome dinner have not been included here. For non-included meals you should allow around $5-10 per meal this is based on a large meal at a mid-range restaurant. If you prefer to sample the street food you can expect to pay around $1-2 per meal. All other meals are included in the holiday cost. Please refer to the itinerary for details of which meals are not included. -5-
we cannot accept any liability for any problems arising from specific dietary needs. Accommodation There are a total of 5 nights in comfortable hotels; 2 nights in Hanoi, 1 night in Dien Bien Phu, and 2 nights in Luang Prabang, and 2 nights in simple hotels in Sapa and in Muong Lay. In Muong Ngoi and Muong Khua we stay in modest guesthouse accommodation with basic en suite facilities. On board our Junk on Halong bay we will have cabins with air conditioning, electricity, private bathroom, and en suite facilities. The Junk has a sun deck, dining room, bar and a friendly crew ready to look after you! At the hotels, guesthouses and on board our Junk rooms will be twin share. There will also be 3 nights in basic accommodation, a mix of stilted homestays, small wooden village bungalows and fixed camping, where you will require a light sleeping bag or a sleeping bag liner. At the homestay sleeping arrangements will be communal with several people sharing each room and footwear left outside. The group will share a large room, but each person will have their own foam mattress, with bedding and mosquito net provided - there will be plenty of colourful blankets should the temperature fall in the evenings. At the bungalows and at the fixed camp, accommodation is usually twin share, again foam mattresses and mosquito nets will also be provided. The bathroom facilities will be basic, simple, and shared, with a mix of long drop and squat toilets. Whilst the facilities are basic, the unique experience of staying in these locations, will more than make up for any discomfort. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired up with another single client of the same sex. Depending on availability, it is possible to pay a single supplement to book a single room for 10 nights in hotels & guesthouses. Single rooms are not available in homestays, riverside camp, bungalows or onboard the Junk. For single supplement costs please refer to the dates and prices page of the holiday on our website. Local guides separate experienced, professional, Englishspeaking local guide, one in Vietnam and one in Laos. Whilst walking in Laos we will also have an additional local guide and crew. $100 to $150 for tipping. Note that you will have a guide and a driver in Vietnam, a Laotian guide, local walking guide, a small crew of boatmen and a driver in Laos. It is not unusual to tip the families at homestays if you feel that they have provided a great service. Spending Money Baggage Allowance The group will be accompanied by two It is not necessary to obtain local currency (Vietnamese Dong or Laotian Kip) prior to travelling. Money can be changed most easily at the airport or at banks in Hanoi. The group hotel There are parts of this holiday where your baggage will be carried by local staff, and it will also need to be easily loaded of and on to long boats whilst in Laos. For this reason we recommend that your baggage should not weigh more than 15kg, we would also suggest that a soft hold all style bag or a large rucksack will provide the best packing solution for this trip. As we will be be spending a lot of time on or beside the water we would strongly recommend that you pack your belongings inside a series of dry bags within your main baggage. When we stay overnight in the village in Hanoi will be able to make small exchanges only. There are ATMs in Hanoi that accept foreign credit and debit cards. In Laos, there are few ATMs and these are not dependable. On crossing into Laos you will be able to change money at the border or at a bank in Muang Kua, you guide will be able to offer you advice on where is best to change your money. Packing List Approximately USD $250-$300 should be allowed for miscellaneous expenses. This amount should be enough to cover the nonincluded meals, tips to local staff, guides, drivers, boatmen etc. If you are intending to buy expensive souvenirs, you should budget accordingly (credit cards can be useful in this respect). We recommend that you carry your travel money in US dollars cash rather than travellers cheques. US dollars are acceptable for exchange in Hanoi and in Sapa and can be used to pay directly for goods and services in both Vietnam and in Laos. Guidance on tipping Tips are the accepted way of saying thank you to your local guides and to your support crews and drivers. They do not form part of their wages. Our local crews are always paid the best rates of pay, no matter what country they are in and any tips they receive are seen as a personal thank you from group members. For our part, we advise local teams that tips are not a duty or a prerequisite but are a bonus and entirely dependent on the service that was given. For your support crews we recommend that you give a tip if you feel that their services have met your satisfaction. It is best to tip as a group and it is useful to have a group pool for this. As a rough guide we suggest you allow a total of USD of Ban Huoi Loor we will not have access to our main baggage and therefore there are two days when we will be required to carry a slightly heavier rucksack, containing our minimal overnight gear. The remainder of our luggage will stay with the longboat an its crew. The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. Sheet sleeping bag and a pillow case Light Sleeping bag (comfort rating 0 C) Hiking boots Daypack 30 litres Dry bags (for keeping luggage dry inside main bag) Sandals/Flip flops (for temple visits and for hopping off and on boats) Training shoes or similar Spare laces Trekking trousers Lightweight waterproof overtrousers Lightwieght waterproof jacket Underwear Socks Swimwear Casual shirt and/or T-shirts Fleece jacket or warm jumper/sweater Travel clothes -6-
Sunhat Buff Sunglasses Headtorch Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.) Water bottles 1 Litre x2 Washbag and toiletries Antibacterial handwash Small towel Basic First Aid Kit including: Antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Immodium), painkillers, plasters and blister treatment, Insect repellent, antihistamine cream and tablets, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite). Glucose tablets and multi-vitamin tablets are a good idea. Optional: Trekking poles Ear Plugs (for use in homestays) Umbrella Camera Shorts (should not be worn in temples etc) Pen-knife (remember to pack sharp objects in hold baggage) Small padlock (to lock trek bag) Group size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. It is essential that you do not book flights until the trip is guaranteed to run. Once the minimum number is reached, the departure will have a G next to it, showing that it is guaranteed to run. You can check the trip status for each departure in Prices and Dates. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you specific require any vaccinations or other preventive measures. You should be up to date with routine courses and boosters as recommended in the UK e.g. diphtheria-tetanus-polio and measles-mumpsrubella), along with hepatitis A and typhoid. Malarial prophylaxis are required. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required if travelling from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travellers having transited for more than 12 hrs through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. On holidays to more remote areas you should also have a dentist check up. A good online resource is Travel Health Pro. Zika: Zika virus has been confirmed as active in this country. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, like dengue and malaria. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. The symptoms are generally mild and self limiting usually lasting 2-7 days. 80% of people exposed to the virus for the first time experience no symptoms. Pregnant women are advised to avoid areas where the zika virus is active. Time & Voltage - Vietnam The voltage in Vietnam is 220v. In Vietnam 3 types of plugs are commonly accepted: 2 flat prong plugs (type A), the 2 round pin plug (type C) and many of the new 4 and 5 star hotels use the British standard 3-pin plug (type G). To cover all bases, it is best to pack an international travel adaptor! Vietnam is 7 hours ahead of GMT and does not observe daylight saving. Time & Voltage - Laos Laos is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time(GMT). The voltage in Laos is 220AC, 50HZ. Plugs are not standard as many electical products are imported from China and Thailand. As such all sort of socket variations exist. The most common types found are: 2 flat prong (type A), the 2 round pin (type C) plugs. To cover all bases, it is best to pack an international travel adaptor! Money - Vietnam The official currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong. Euro, British Pounds, US Dollars and other major currencies can be exchanged locally at the airport, bureau de changes or banks. US Dollar notes are widely accepted and shopkeepers use both currencies interchangeably. You can often pay for items in USD and receive your change in USD notes and coins in VND. Make sure that your USD bills are crisp and clean and you will have no problem using or exchanging these throughout your stay. ATM machines can be found in all major cities though it is not common to pay with credit card in restaurants, cafes or shops for purchases. It's advisable to request bank notes in smaller denominations, as it can sometimes be hard to get change from large notes and smaller notes are handy for smaller purchases and gratuities. Traveller's Cheques are not recommended as they're often difficult to exchange and incur high fees. Money - Laos The official Laos currency is known as the Lao Kip, although three currencies are used interchangeably for everyday transactions. These are Kip, Thai baht and US Dollars. All major currencies are exchangeable in the main towns but USD is the most useful currency (cash) to hold as it can be exchanged and used in most places. Dollar bills must be in good condition and not torn or ripped. In smaller towns and villages, Kip is usually preferred. The rule of thumb is that for everyday small purchases, prices are quoted in Kip. ATMs are only available in Vientiane, Vangvieng and Luang Prabang and dispense a maximum of approx USD$70 (in Kip) at any one time it isn't advisable to rely upon them as they are commonly not working. Licensed money changers exist in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Their rates are similar to the banks and they stay open longer. We recommend you take a mixture of cash (preferably USD) and credit/ debit cards for ATMs. Climate September and October are shoulder season in Laos, so we can expect more rain in this period, however this is the best time to visit the rice terraces of North Vietnam, as it is the middle of harvest time and the terraces will be emerald green and a hive of activity! The harvest is usually over my around mid October. -7-
The coolest and driest time for a visit is from November to March when the weather is kinder and more stable. Average daily temperatures at this time of year average at around 30 degrees Celsius, and can be much cooler at night. The general daytime humidity will be a lot higher than we are usually accustomed to, and this is also a factor to be considered. Our walking will be on village tracks and jungle trails, through rice fields and sub-tropical mountain forest and you should be adequately prepared and equipped for equal measures of sunshine, rain and humidity. -8-