The Hanoi add-on is accompanied by a local guide rather than a tour Manager . My colleague has shared the following (which is subject to change) and advised at the moment there are no optional excursions available:

Day 14 – Luang Prabang to Hanoi

Breakfast at hotel. Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight.

Upon arrival in Hanoi your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel for the next 3 nights.

Day 15 – Hanoi

Breakfast at hotel

Begin your Story of Hanoi with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Here, you will hear about the man who led Vietnam’s campaign for independence from French colonial rule. Next, visit the imperial citadel, the apex of regional political power for more than a millennium where research and excavation is still underway. You will then visit the One Pillar Pagoda. After a Vietnamese lunch, head to another 11th century relic, the Temples of Literature, which was built as a homage to the Chinese scholar Confucius.

The tour continues with a 30-minute cyclo-tour through Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter, a place where Hanoians buy everything from noodles to light fixtures to Buddha statues. The quarter’s 36 streets were named for the product that were sold from their shops. Today, vendors on Tin and Bamboo Streets still sell the same wares. After exploring the old quarter’s shady alleyways, sip a strong Vietnamese coffee in a café overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake – an important symbol in Vietnamese folklore. Snap a photograph of the downtown skyline before returning to your hotel at around 4.30pm.

Day 16 – Hanoi

Breakfast at hotel

Day at leisure

Day 17 – Hanoi

Breakfast at hotel

Morning at leisure

This evening your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight.

Day 18 – Hanoi to UK

Arrive UK

Kindest regards,

Julia

Very glad to be of help!  Hope you have a great time whichever tour you eventually choose and that you'll write a review when you get back!

Cheers,

Bob

So pleased to see you browse this Forum as well and to find your reply in addition to Julia’s.  I had already read yours and others’ general opinions mainly focusing on Vietnam but the alternative tour centering on Cambodia and Laos threw me when I saw a thread on the “Say Hello...” forum.  I always thought Vietnam was the main attraction.

In addition to the Mexican TM’s enthusiasm, you also referred to your co-travellers’ preference for Cambodia too, so your post was most useful and I thank you.

Best regards,

Mike

Actually I think you have been very helpful given your position! But Bob adds greatly to it by having the luxury of total impartiality. And to hear the enthusiastic view of JY's TM in Mexico as his "absolute favourite", provided in Bob's post, is just the sort of opinion I wanted to hear.

Thank you again,

Mike

In 2016, both tours operated at almost full capacity so they are both very popular. However, it is difficult to do a like for like comparison as we operate them on different numbers; For example in March 2017 we can take up to 18 on the Untold Cambodia & Laos tour whereas we can take 35 on the Discover Vietnam tour.

They are both wonderful destinations, it's just a case of read the two itineraries and see which one appeals to you the most. I have visited Cambodia, I think it is a wonderful destination and would happily share any hints & tips from my own experience should you need them. You can see that Bob has done the Vietnam with Cambodia tour and hopefully if another one of our members has done the Untold Cambodia tour they may share their comments on here too and help you to decide.

I'm not really helping with the decision making am I?

Kindest regards

Julia

As you might have seen, I did the Vietnam/Cambodia tour in 2013 and thoroughly enjoyed it - the pace was just right, lots of contrasting experiences and we saw all the top highlights in both countries.  Having said that, our TM in Mexico earlier this year said that the Cambodia and Laos tour is his absolute favourite out of all the tours offered by JY and TS!  Although I've already seen Phnom Penh and the Angkor temples, I would consider strongly doing the Cambodia/Laos tour in a few years, if it's still offered then!  I think on that tour, you will see so much of Cambodia (which people on our tour preferred to Vietnam) including a lot of out-of-the-way places, plus with the highlights of Laos it should be fabulous.  If I were you I'd do it now, to be honest, just in case the tour disappears!

Cheers,

Bob

Thank you for such a prompt response. I cannot decide from your last comment! So may I impose upon you, if it's not too time-consuming, to advise me of the popularity of both, perhaps by providing the past bookings' statistics on the two please?

Kind regards and thanks agin,

Mike

The difference is the emphasis of the main tour. So on the Discover Vietnam tour you'll spend 13 days exploring the highlights and hidden gems of both the north and south of Vietnam before moving on to Cambodia to see the absolute highlights.

With Untold Cambodia & Laos you'll spend the 15 days exploring these two magnificent countries before moving onto Vietnam where you'll spend time in Hanoi.

Both tours will give you a glimpse into the countries, making the decision will be down to whether you want to see more of Vietnam or the other countries.

Kindest regards,

Julia