Fantastic Circle of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos & Thailand — Self-Launched

Land at Siem Reap (REP) and take a tuk-tuk from the airport rank into town (~£3-4, 20 mins) — no need for a pre-booked private transfer. Check into a guesthouse around Wat Bo or the Old Market area, buy a local SIM (Metfone/Smart, ~£2 for data) and sort your Angkor pass for tomorrow. Evening: wander Pub Street-adjacent lanes, eat fish amok or a Khmer BBQ for ~£3-4 and book a shared sunrise tuk-tuk driver for the next two days (around £18-22 per day for the vehicle, split between however many of you travel).

🚌Airport tuk-tuk ~£3-4

🛏Guesthouse/hostel near Old Market, £10-14 dorm or £16-22 private twin

• →Settle in and buy Angkor pass option
• →Old Market and riverside wander
• →Book shared tuk-tuk driver for temples

Classic small-circuit day with your shared tuk-tuk driver. Start at the South Gate of Angkor Thom, then Bayon's face towers, Baphuon, Phimeanakas, the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King, and the Royal Palace enclosure. Afternoon at Angkor Wat itself, then climb Phnom Bakheng for sunset (arrive early — it caps visitor numbers). Buy the 3-day Angkor pass (~£48) which covers today and day 3. A licensed guide for one day is ~£28-35 and worth splitting if you want the history — otherwise a good audio guide app is ~£5.

🚌Shared tuk-tuk ~£10 pp per day

🛏Same guesthouse

• →Angkor Thom & Bayon
• →Baphuon, Phimeanakas, Elephant & Leper King Terraces
• →Angkor Wat
• →Phnom Bakheng sunset
• →3-day Angkor pass

Leave at 5am for sunrise over Angkor Wat reflecting pool — your driver drops you at the west causeway. Head north to Banteay Srei's pink sandstone carvings (~45 mins), stopping at Banteay Samre on the way. Return via Ta Prohm (the tree-swallowed temple) and Banteay Kdei. Many pagodas near Siem Reap welcome visitors for a short blessing ceremony with a small donation (~£2-4) — ask your guesthouse to arrange it rather than paying a tour markup. Lunch at a local Khmer spot ~£3.

🚌Shared tuk-tuk ~£12 pp (longer loop)

🛏Same guesthouse

• →Angkor Wat sunrise
• →Banteay Srei & Banteay Samre
• →Ta Prohm & Banteay Kdei
• →Optional monk blessing at local pagoda

Slow overland option: bus Siem Reap–Phnom Penh (~£9, 6 hrs) then Phnom Penh–Saigon (~£12, 6 hrs) — two long days, so most travellers take the direct Siem Reap–HCMC sleeper bus (~£20-25, 12 hrs overnight) or a one-way low-cost flight with Vietjet/AirAsia (~£55-80, 1 hr). Land, take a Grab bike/car from the airport (~£2-3), and stay in District 1 around Bui Vien/Pham Ngu Lao. Evening: walk Dong Khoi Street and eat at a Ben Thanh-area street stall (~£3).

🚌Overnight sleeper bus ~£22 (or flight ~£65)

🛏Hostel in District 1, £8-12 dorm / £18-25 private twin

• →Dong Khoi Street evening stroll
• →Bui Vien walking street

Book a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour through GetYourGuide or a District 1 travel agent (~£18-25 including transport and entrance) — the big-group bus version is fine and cheaper than private. Afternoon DIY: War Remnants Museum (~£2), Reunification Palace (~£2.50), Notre Dame Cathedral exterior (still under restoration) and the Old Saigon Post Office, all within a 20-minute walk of each other. Dinner: banh mi and a local beer for ~£3.

🚌Included in tour + Grab ~£2

🛏Same hostel

• →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour
• →War Remnants Museum
• →Reunification Palace
• →Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office

Take a small-group Mekong Delta day tour booked online (~£25-35) covering the boat through the islands, a coconut-candy workshop, honey tea at a bee farm, tropical fruit at an orchard, a traditional Mekong house and southern folk music — this is essentially the same itinerary the operator runs. Many tours include a short cooking demo (banh xeo and spring rolls); if not, ask and it's often added for a few dollars. Back in Saigon by early evening.

🚌Included in day tour

🛏Same hostel

• →Mekong River boat trip
• →Coconut candy & honey farm stops
• →Orchard fruit tasting & folk music
• →Cooking demo lunch

Fly Saigon–Hanoi with Vietjet/Bamboo (~£35-55 one-way, 2 hrs) — or the Reunification Express train if you have a spare day (~£28-40 soft sleeper, 33 hrs). Check into a hostel in the Old Quarter (£7-11 dorm). Evening: do the street-food circuit yourself or join a GetYourGuide Hanoi food tour (~£22-28) covering cha ca, nem chua, egg coffee and the railway-side coffee street. Book your Halong Bay overnight cruise tonight for departure tomorrow (see day 8).

🚌Flight ~£45 + airport bus #86 ~£1.50

🛏Old Quarter hostel, £10 dorm / £20-28 private twin

• →Hanoi Old Quarter walking tour
• →Street food tasting / guided food tour
• →Railway coffee street

Book a 2D/1N Halong Bay (or quieter Lan Ha Bay) cruise directly or via Klook/GetYourGuide — budget junk boats run ~£85-130 pp all-in with transfers, meals, kayaking and cave visits. Shuttle bus picks you up in the Old Quarter around 8am. Cruise among the limestone karsts, kayak or swim, watch sunset from the sundeck, dinner aboard.

🚌Shuttle bus included

🛏Overnight on a budget junk boat, twin cabin (included in cruise price)

• →Halong Bay cruise
• →Kayaking / swimming
• →Cave and islet stops
• →Sundeck sunset

Many budget cruises run a sunrise tai chi session on deck — free, just turn up. After breakfast, a rowing-boat or kayak loop through a fishing village, then shuttle back to Hanoi arriving late afternoon. Evening free in the Old Quarter; bia hoi corner beers are ~£0.30.

🚌Shuttle included + walk

🛏Old Quarter hostel

• →Sunrise tai chi on deck
• →Kayak or rowing boat village visit

Walkable DIY day: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and stilt house, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature, then Hoa Lo Prison (~£1.50 each). Afternoon at the Museum of Ethnology (~£2.50) — take a Grab (~£2.50) as it's a bit out of the centre. Finish with a one-hour cyclo ride around the Old Quarter (~£6-8) and a Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre show (~£4-6, book same day at the box office).

🚌Grab rides ~£4

🛏Old Quarter hostel

• →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & stilt house
• →Temple of Literature & One Pillar Pagoda
• →Hoa Lo Prison
• →Museum of Ethnology
• →Cyclo ride & water puppet show

Fly Hanoi–Vientiane with Lao Airlines/Vietjet (~£70-95, 1h20) — or the long sleeper bus via Vinh/Lak Sao (~£25, 20+ hrs). Vientiane is compact and walkable: Wat Sisaket (~£1), Wat Phra Kaew museum, That Luang stupa (~£1), Patuxai Victory Gate (free, small fee to climb) and the COPE Centre (free/donation). Morning market at Sao Talat if you're up early tomorrow. Guesthouses near the Mekong riverside are ~£15-22 for a twin.

🚌Flight ~£80 + airport tuk-tuk ~£2

🛏Riverside guesthouse, £12-18 dorm / £18-26 twin

• →Wat Sisaket & Wat Phra Kaew
• →That Luang & Patuxai
• →COPE Centre
• →Mekong sunset walk

Options: the Chinese-built Laos-China Railway from Vientiane to Luang Prabang takes ~2 hrs and costs ~£12-20 (book on the LCR app or at the station a day ahead — sells out in high season), the VIP sleeper bus is ~£15-18 (10-11 hrs overnight) and the slow boat from Vang Vieng isn't practical on this schedule. Arrive, check into a guesthouse in the old town peninsula, and take an easy evening stroll to the Mekong for sunset and a night-market dinner (~£3).

🚌Laos-China Railway ~£16

🛏Old town guesthouse, £12-18 dorm / £22-30 twin

• →Mekong sunset
• →Luang Prabang night market

Set your alarm for the 5:30am alms-giving (tak bat) along Sakkaline Road — observe respectfully, buy sticky rice from a vendor (~£1) if you want to participate. Then the morning market. Mid-morning, share a songthaew or tuk-tuk to Kuang Si Waterfalls (~£6-8 pp return, 45 mins) — entrance ~£2, swim in the turquoise pools, and stop at the Tat Kuang Si bear sanctuary. On the way back, ask the driver to stop at Ban Na Ouay or another weaving village. Catch sunset from Wat Phabath (free).

🚌Shared songthaew ~£7

🛏Same guesthouse

• →Morning alms-giving & morning market
• →Kuang Si Waterfalls & swimming
• →Bear sanctuary
• →Village stop
• →Sunset at Wat Phabath

Hire a shared slow boat from the Mekong pier to the Pak Ou (Tam Ting) caves — ~£10-14 pp return, 1.5 hrs each way, stopping at a rice-whisky village. Back in town, see Wat Xieng Thong (~£1.50), Wat Mai and the National Museum/Royal Palace (closed Tuesdays, ~£2.50). Climb Phou Si hill in late afternoon (~£1) for the classic Mekong sunset. Note Wat Phra Buddabhat is up a steep staircase south of town — a tuk-tuk and a 20-minute climb, worth it if you have energy.

🚌Shared slow boat ~£12 + tuk-tuk ~£4

🛏Same guesthouse

• →Pak Ou caves by slow boat
• →Wat Xieng Thong & Wat Mai
• →National Museum (Royal Palace)
• →Phou Si hill sunset

Fly Luang Prabang–Bangkok (~£70-100, 1h45 with AirAsia/Thai Vietjet) — overland is 20+ hrs via Nong Khai and not worth it on a 21-day loop. On arrival take the Airport Rail Link (~£1) or a Grab to a hostel near Khao San or the Silom/BTS line (£8-12 dorm). Evening: riverside beers and street food at Banglamphu (~£4).

🚌Flight ~£85 + Airport Rail Link ~£1

🛏Bangkok hostel, £8-12 dorm / £22-30 twin

• →Khao San / riverside evening

Get to the Grand Palace at opening (8:30am) to beat the heat and crowds — combined ticket with the Emerald Buddha ~£12, dress code enforced (cover shoulders and knees). Walk 10 minutes to Wat Pho for the Reclining Buddha (~£5). Take the cross-river ferry to Wat Arun (~£0.70) for late afternoon, climbing the prang for river views. Do it all independently — no guide needed; the signage is good. Eat at a Chinatown (Yaowarat) street stall in the evening ~£4.

🚌Chao Phraya Express boat & ferry ~£2

🛏Same hostel

• →Grand Palace & Emerald Buddha
• →Wat Pho Reclining Buddha
• →Wat Arun by cross-river ferry
• →Yaowarat street food

Book a small-group day tour (~£25-35 via Klook/GetYourGuide) covering the Maeklong Railway Market train pass-through and the Damnoen Saduak floating market with a long-tail boat ride — this is far easier than DIY (the public buses take 4+ hrs each way). Alternatively, DIY by minivan from Mochit to Maeklong (~£3) and a local bus to Damnoen Saduak (~£2). Back in Bangkok by late afternoon.

🚌Included in day tour

🛏Same hostel

• →Maeklong Railway Market
• →Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
• →Long-tail boat ride

Fly Bangkok–Phuket with AirAsia/Thai Lion (~£30-50, 1h25) or take the overnight bus/train combo (~£20, 12 hrs). From Phuket airport, the smart airport bus to Patong/Kata is ~£1.50 vs ~£12 for a taxi. Base yourself in Kata or Karon (quieter, cheaper than Patong) — hostels £9-14 dorm, guesthouses £20-30 twin. Afternoon on the beach, dinner at a local Thai restaurant ~£4.

🚌Flight ~£40 + airport bus ~£1.50

🛏Kata/Karon guesthouse, £10-14 dorm / £22-30 twin

• →Beach afternoon at Kata

Slow day. Rent a scooter (~£7/day) or use songthaews to hop between Kata Noi, Nai Harn and Promthep Cape for sunset. Optional add-ons worth the money: a Phi Phi day trip by speedboat (~£30-40) or a beginner surf lesson at Kata (~£18). Otherwise it's a hammock-and-massage day (£6 for an hour).

🚌Scooter ~£7

🛏Same guesthouse

• →Promthep Cape sunset
• →Optional Phi Phi speedboat day trip
• →Thai massage

Second free day: explore Phuket Old Town's Sino-Portuguese shophouses and street art by local songthaew (~£3 return), eat Hokkien noodles and oh-aew dessert, or book a James Bond Island / Phang Nga Bay kayak tour (~£30-45). Pack tonight if you're flying out tomorrow.

🚌Songthaew ~£3

🛏Same guesthouse

• →Phuket Old Town walk
• →Optional Phang Nga Bay kayak tour

Airport bus or Grab to Phuket International (~£1.50-12) depending on your flight time. If you have a late flight, one last beach morning and a cheap breakfast near the guesthouse.

🚌Airport bus ~£1.50

🛏—

• →Departure