Vietnam Cambodia Thailand vs new Mekong, Vietnam, Laos Cambodia
My friend and I signed up for a January 2026 Vietnam Cambodia Thailand tour. The Mekong Vietnam Laos Cambodia trip just became available for the same time, apparently returning by popular demand from a previous Tauck tour some years ago. The cost is not exactly the same but within a few hundred dollars. The first difference is going to Thailand vs Laos. The second difference is that the VCT has 7 hotels and 5 flights while the MVLC has only 5 hotels and 3 flights. To me, fewer hotels and flights seems much better. The third difference is the Four Seasons in Thailand vs Pullman Luang Prabang in Laos. Does anyone have advice about the two trips? It would be appreciated.
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I think it depends on what you want to see. We went on the Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand tour because I wanted to see more of Vietnam. The Mekong, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia tour looks nice, also.
Whichever you do, try to see Ha Long Bay outside Hanoi. Maybe go a day early and spend a night on a boat on the bay.
Here's our tour - https://www.mikeandjudytravel.com/2024-1Vietnam-01.htm
We took the original tour, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos tour. Laos was our favorite. The tour included an overnight in Halong Bay. Last year we went on the Mekong River with another company and ended in Cambodia repeating Angkor Wat. The Mekong experience was very different. I have not been to Thailand so I can’t help with that choice. The entire area is extremely humid, the most humid we have experienced in all our travels.
On these tours the humidity varies much more so based on the time of the year than it does on the Singapore to Bali tour. We went on the Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand tour in late January, early February and we didn't find the humidity to be terrible.
You don't have much ability to vary the humidity on the Singapore to Bali tour since the entire tour is so close to the equator and very tropical. This tour's humidity was by far worse for us than the VCT tour in late January, early February.
I believe British's account of the humidity for the Mekong River tour was a couple of months later in the year, which makes the humidity much worse.
We loved all three countries on the VCT tour. Each country provides some unique sightseeing opportunities.
Our original tour was in January Sam and it was humid, but we were in different areas than on your tour. It’s funny because apart from Singapore, we did not find that area as bad.
Looking at this trip, we are retired now, so, what month would be the best? Suggestions?
We went towards the end of January and Hanoi was cold but Bangkok was HOT. I would recommend to avoid the monsoon season.
Check weatherspark.com for temperature and rain in the various cities.
Madrick - I recommend January through early February, no later, to get the best combination of reasonable temperatures, humidity, and rainfall.
I did VCT in January of last year. I found the humidity oppressive, especially in Bangkok. The only area with comfortable temps/humidity was N. and central Vietnam.
Thank you for your responses. We've decided to keep our VCT Jan '26 tour. We're allowing enough time beforehand to visit HaLong Bay. Do you have recommendations for companies offering day or overnight trips? I see from previous posts and reports that we can make arrangements through our Metropole Hotel to book at least a day trip. Is the overnight trip preferable? MikeHenderson - saw your trip report and photos of your dogs. We have 3 cavies!
An overnight trip is definitely preferable!
I think you can arrange an overnight at Ha Long Bay through the Metropole, but I did talk, in my blog, about some research I did about that. See
https://www.mikeandjudytravel.com/2024-1Vietnam-01.htm#:~:text=If you're thinking of an overnight
The girls send "hello" to you cavies