No easy answer. The weather in Vietnam is complex and its long, thin shape means that no single period is ideal for the entire country. Broadly speaking, spring (Feb to April) is better for the north and winter (Nov to March) for the south. Rainfall is usually highest during the months of June to Sept although the central region sees the most precipitation from Oct and Nov while Dec and Jan temperatures in the far north can be decidedly chilly.

Our small group tours make ideal holidays for single travellers. Small fully escorted groups, eating together, family style, no compulsory single supplements all go towards making you feel like you are travelling with a group of friends. If you don’t want to share then ask about single room supplements.

You can book any of our Vietnam tours with or without return flights from the UK. These include direct flights with Vietnam Airlines or via Bangkok with, for example, Thai, Emirates or Qatar. Due to fluctuating rates, ‘with flight’ prices on the website are a guideline only and we’ll endeavour to find the best prices and routes for you.

At present, no inoculations for Vietnam are compulsory, however the following are recommended, hepatitis A, polio, typhoid and tetanus. If you are considering antimalarials we recommend you consult a specialist.

A useful resource for travel health info is the Travel Health Pro site.

Malaria has been drastically reduced in Vietnam with remaining at risk areas identified as border districts in the Central Highlands. The vast majority of the country, including urabn areas such as Hanoi, Saigon, Danang etc are now categorised as malaria free.

You are required to pay a 10% deposit to confirm your tour with the balance due before 60 days of starting date. Most major credit cards are accepted without surcharges.

Tips to local staff are always discretionary, however, a gesture for their work and efforts is appreciated. As appropriate tips do depend upon the length of the tour and group sizes it’s hard to suggest a precise amount in advance but you’ll find further info on the relevant tour page sections.

Where suitable options exist, our policy is to use small, boutique-style hotels and resorts although, overall, all accommodation will fall into a 3* category with ensuite bathrooms and a/c. Pools are also available at many hotels. Overnight traisn are based upon 4-berth sleeper cabins although upgrades can be arranged.

Approximately half the lunches and dinners on your tour will be inclusive. This allows our guides, using tried and trusted restaurants, to introduce you to authentic, local food while also allowing you plenty of time to do your own thing.

No problem at all and in addition to a wealth of vegetarian options many traditional Vietnamese dishes are easily adapted to vegan and vegetarian tastes. Your tour-leader will be informed of your preferences before the tour.

Also no problem at all and Vietnam has a reputation for being one of the region's most LGBT-friendly destinations. Note, however that outside of larger towns local people will be more conservative and public displays of affection of any orientation are considered inappropriate.