Self-Launched Southeast Asia Immersion: Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand & Laos

Land at Noi Bai (HAN) and take bus 86 (about 45,000 VND / ~£1.50) or a Grab to the Old Quarter. Check into a budget hotel or hostel dorm around Ma May or Hang Bac. In the evening, walk the 36 Streets, grab a bowl of bun cha or pho bo from a pavement stall (~£2.50) and finish with egg coffee at Cafe Giang (~£1.50).

🚌Airport bus 86 ~£1.50; walking

🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm or budget hotel (~£8-12)

• →Old Quarter evening wander
• →Street food dinner
• →Egg coffee at Cafe Giang

Start at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh Square (free, closed Mon/Fri, arrive by 8am), then One Pillar Pagoda and Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake. Book a 'Hanoi street food walking tour' on GetYourGuide/Klook (~£20-25) or just DIY it: bun cha on Hang Manh, banh cuon, then bia hoi junction in the evening (~40p a glass). A one-hour cyclo lap of the Old Quarter costs ~£4 if you fancy it.

🚌Walking + Grab bikes ~£3

🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm or budget hotel (~£8-12)

• →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & Ba Dinh Square
• →One Pillar Pagoda
• →Tran Quoc Pagoda
• →Street food tour (self-booked ~£22)
• →Bia Hoi Corner

Book a budget overnight junk cruise direct or via Klook (~£70-95 for a 2D/1N including meals, kayaking and transfers from Hanoi) — considerably cheaper than Lan Ha's luxury boats but the same karst scenery. Alternatively take a local bus to Cat Ba and a day boat from there (~£35). Kayak through limestone caves in the afternoon and watch sunset from the deck.

🚌Shared shuttle from Hanoi (~3.5hrs, included in cruise)

🛏Budget junk boat cabin (~included in cruise price)

• →Ha Long Bay overnight cruise
• →Cave kayaking
• →Sunset on deck

Return to Hanoi by ~1pm, then take a limousine van or local bus to Ba Thuoc / Pu Luong (~4hrs, ~£8-10). Stay in a homestay in Ban Don or Ban Hieu (~£10-15 with dinner). The pace drops instantly — rice terraces, stilt houses, water buffalo.

🚌Shuttle back to Hanoi + bus to Pu Luong ~£12

🛏Thai stilt-house homestay, Pu Luong (~£12 incl. dinner)

• →Village walk at dusk
• →Homestay dinner with local family

Hike between Ban Cong and Ban Hieu (~10km, moderate, well-marked with a local guide for ~£15 from your homestay), passing rice paddies and suspension bridges. In the afternoon, arrange a bamboo raft float on the Ma River (~£8) and a riverside BBQ lunch from your homestay. Klook has Pu Luong day treks from Hanoi (~£35) if you'd rather join a small group.

🚌On foot / local tuk-tuk ~£3

🛏Thai stilt-house homestay, Pu Luong (~£12 incl. dinner)

• →Ban Cong to Ban Hieu trek
• →Bamboo rafting on the Ma River
• →Riverside BBQ lunch

Bus back to Hanoi (or Thanh Hoa) and take an overnight sleeper bus or the Reunification Express train to Da Nang (soft sleeper ~£30-40, ~16hrs). From Da Nang, a Grab to Hoi An is ~£6. Arrive, drop your bag in a riverside guesthouse in the Old Town and do a half-day cooking class at a local restaurant (~£20, self-bookable).

🚌Bus to Hanoi + train/bus to Da Nang ~£35; Grab ~£6

🛏Hoi An guesthouse, Old Town edge (~£12)

• →Overnight travel
• →Hoi An cooking class (~£20)

Buy the Old Town entry ticket (~£4.50) covering the Japanese Covered Bridge, Ong Pagoda and the old merchant houses. Spend the afternoon cycling to An Bang Beach (~£1.50 bike hire) or book a countryside jeep tour via Klook (~£25). Evening: lantern-lit riverside stroll and cao lau noodles (~£2.50).

🚌Bicycle hire ~£1.50

🛏Hoi An guesthouse, Old Town edge (~£12)

• →Hoi An Old Town ticket & Japanese Covered Bridge
• →Ong Pagoda
• →An Bang Beach cycle

Take a small-group sunrise tour to My Son Sanctuary (~£15-20 on GetYourGuide/Klook, includes entry and a local guide) — the Cham towers are far quieter before 8am. Alternatively hire a Grab for ~£12 return and pay the ~£6 entry yourself. Afternoon free for tailoring or the Riverside mangrove kayak tour (~£12).

🚌Shared minivan to My Son ~£4

🛏Hoi An guesthouse, Old Town edge (~£12)

• →My Son Sanctuary sunrise tour
• →Optional mangrove kayaking

Fly Da Nang to HCMC with VietJet/Bamboo (~£30-45 if booked early) — quicker and often similar to the 20hr train. Check into a District 1 hostel (~£10-14). Afternoon cyclo ride through the city (~£5) and a sunset riverside drink at Bach Dang wharf. Book a Cu Chi tour for tomorrow via Klook (~£18).

🚌Flight Da Nang–HCMC ~£35; Grab to airport ~£4

🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel (~£12)

• →Cyclo ride through District 1
• →Bach Dang riverside sunset

Take the half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour (~£18 via Klook, includes entry and transport) or join a countryside cycling variant (~£25) for the Ben Dinh section. Back in the city, visit the War Remnants Museum (~£2) and Ben Thanh night market for a final Vietnamese dinner.

🚌Included tour transport + Grab ~£4

🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel (~£12)

• →Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Dinh)
• →War Remnants Museum
• →Ben Thanh night food stalls

Bus from HCMC's Moc Bai border to Phnom Penh (~6hrs, ~£8) then onward bus to Siem Reap (~6hrs, ~£9) — long but cheap — or fly (~£60-80). Most travellers fly this leg to save a day. Check into a guesthouse near Pub Street (~£12) and do an orientation walk plus dinner of lok lak and num kruk at a local Khmer restaurant (~£3).

🚌Bus HCMC–SR ~£17 total, or flight ~£70

🛏Siem Reap guesthouse near Old Market (~£12)

• →Border crossing
• →Siem Reap orientation walk
• →Khmer dinner

Morning Khmer cooking class (~£22 via Klook/GetYourGuide) — visit Chreav village market, then cook amok and lok lak. In the afternoon, take a shared van to Kampong Khleang floating village (~£20 for a half-day tour, or ~£10 by tuk-tuk plus boat fee). Book your Angkor sunrise guide for tomorrow (~£18-25).

🚌Tuk-tuk ~£4

🛏Siem Reap guesthouse near Old Market (~£12)

• →Khmer cooking class
• →Kampong Khleang floating village
• →Tonle Sap scenery

Take the classic small-group sunrise tour (~£22 via Klook or GetYourGuide) covering Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, the Bayon and Ta Prohm with a guide and tuk-tuk driver. Buy the Angkor pass directly (~£28 for 1-day). Back by 2pm for a pool dip, massage (~£7) and sunset at Phnom Bakheng if you have energy.

🚌Tour tuk-tuk included

🛏Siem Reap guesthouse near Old Market (~£12)

• →Angkor Wat sunrise
• →Angkor Thom & Bayon
• →Ta Prohm
• →Angkor 1-day pass

Arrange a shared minivan to Koh Kong or a private 4WD transfer to Chi Phat / the Cardamoms (~£30-40, 5-6hrs) — book via your guesthouse. Stay in a community eco-camp or tented lodge (~£20-25 with meals). Evening night safari boat trip down the Prek Tachan river with a local guide (~£10).

🚌Shared minivan / 4WD to Cardamoms ~£35

🛏Community eco-camp / tented lodge, Cardamoms (~£22 incl. dinner)

• →Night safari boat trip
• →River sunset

Full day with a community guide: kayak upstream through Botum Sakur National Park forest (~£15) then a jungle trek to a waterfall and swim (~£10). Lunch and dinner home-cooked at the camp. This is one of Cambodia's wildest areas — bring leech socks and a headtorch.

🚌On foot / local boat

🛏Community eco-camp / tented lodge, Cardamoms (~£22 incl. dinner)

• →Cardamom kayaking
• →Jungle trek to waterfall
• →Night wildlife spot

Transfer back to Sihanoukville (~£15) and take the fast ferry to Koh Rong (~£20 return, 45min). Check into a beach bungalow on Long Set or 4K Beach (~£20-25). Sunset BBQ on the sand and a swim in the plankton at night.

🚌Minivan to Sihanoukville ~£15; ferry ~£20 return

🛏Koh Rong beach bungalow (~£22)

• →Ferry to Koh Rong
• →Sunset BBQ on the beach
• →Plankton swim

Hike through the jungle to Koh Rong waterfall (free, ~2hrs return with a local path), swim in the rock pools, then kayak the mangroves (~£8 for a kayak rental). Afternoon hammock time, sunset drinks at a beach bar.

🚌On foot

🛏Koh Rong beach bungalow (~£22)

• →Koh Rong waterfall hike
• →Mangrove kayaking
• →Beach afternoon

Ferry back to Sihanoukville, then bus to the Koh Kong/Hat Lek border (~5hrs) and a minivan to Trat, or simpler — fly Sihanoukville (KOS) to Bangkok (~£60-80) if schedules work. From Trat, a bus to Bangkok is ~7hrs (~£10). Check into a Khao San or riverside hostel (~£12) and eat pad thai from a street cart (~£1.50).

🚌Ferry + bus to Bangkok ~£20, or flight ~£70

🛏Bangkok hostel, Khao San / Phra Athit (~£12)

• →Border crossing into Thailand
• →Khao San evening street food

Join a Chinatown and canals bicycle tour (~£30 via GetYourGuide/Klook) or DIY with a public longtail boat on the Chao Phraya (~£1 per hop) to Wat Pho (~£5) and Wat Arun (~£2.50). Evening: dinner cruise on the river (~£15-25 budget version) or Yaowarat Road street food crawl — pad see ew, mango sticky rice, grilled squid (~£5).

🚌Public longtail boat + BTS ~£3

🛏Bangkok hostel, Khao San / Phra Athit (~£12)

• →Chinatown cycle & longtail boat tour (or DIY temples)
• →Wat Pho & Wat Arun
• →Yaowarat street food crawl
• →Optional river dinner cruise

Train from Thonburi station to Kanchanaburi (~£2, 3hrs, twice daily) — the ordinary local train, not the tourist one. Ride the Death Railway section from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok (~£3) over the wooden viaduct. Visit the Thai-Burma Railway Centre (~£4) and the Allied War Cemetery (free). Sleep in a raft house on the River Kwai (~£20) or a guesthouse in town (~£12).

🚌Train Thonburi–Kanchanaburi ~£2; Death Railway ~£3

🛏River Kwai raft house or Kanchanaburi guesthouse (~£18)

• →Death Railway train ride
• →Thai-Burma Railway Centre
• →Allied War Cemetery
• →Bridge over the River Kwai

Hire a songthaew or scooter (~£10-12 for the day) to Hellfire Pass and the Hintok Cutting, ~80km up the valley, with the excellent free audio guide (~£5 entry). Stop at Erawan Falls on the way back (~£6 entry) for a seven-tier swim — a two-for-one day that the tour splits out.

🚌Songthaew hire ~£12

🛏River Kwai raft house or Kanchanaburi guesthouse (~£18)

• →Hellfire Pass audio-guided walk
• →Hintok Cutting
• →Erawan Falls swim

Bus to Bangkok's Mo Chit (~3hrs, ~£3) then an overnight sleeper bus to Chiang Rai (~£20, 12hrs) — or fly from Don Mueang (~£35-45). Arrive, check into a guesthouse near the night bazaar (~£12) and hit the Chiang Rai walking street food stalls for sai ua sausage and nam prik (~£5).

🚌Bus + sleeper bus ~£23, or flight ~£45

🛏Chiang Rai guesthouse near night bazaar (~£12)

• →Night bazaar foodie walk
• →Chiang Rai orientation

Join a small-group Golden Triangle day tour (~£30 via GetYourGuide/Klook) covering the Opium Museum (~£5) and the Mekong confluence at Sop Ruak, or DIY with a rented scooter (~£7/day). Add a stop at Doi Tung's Royal Project tea plantation (~£3) for hilltop views. Evening: White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) at sunset (~£3).

🚌Scooter hire or tour pickup ~£7-30

🛏Chiang Rai guesthouse near night bazaar (~£12)

• →Golden Triangle viewpoint
• →Opium Museum
• →Doi Tung tea plantation
• →Wat Rong Khun

Bus to Chiang Khong (~2hrs, ~£3), cross the friendship bridge to Huay Xai (~£1 + visa on arrival ~£30 for UK passports, bring USD cash and a photo), then board the slow boat to Pak Beng (2-day journey, ~£28-32 including overnight stop). Sit on the open deck with a Beerlao and a sandwich — this is the classic Laos route. Overnight in a Pak Beng guesthouse (~£10).

🚌Bus to Chiang Khong ~£3; border ~£1; slow boat ~£30; Laos visa ~£30

🛏Pak Beng riverside guesthouse (~£10)

• →Chiang Khong border crossing
• →Mekong slow boat day 1
• →Sunset over the Mekong

Continue the slow boat to Luang Prabang (~7hrs, included in the 2-day ticket), stopping at the Pak Ou Caves (~£1.50) — thousands of Buddha statues in a limestone cliff. From Luang Prabang, take a minivan to Nong Khiaw (~3hrs, ~£6-8, two departures daily). Check into a riverside bungalow (~£10). Sunset hike to Som Nang viewpoint (~£1) if you arrive with time.

🚌Slow boat day 2 + minivan to Nong Khiaw ~£8

🛏Nong Khiaw riverside bungalow (~£10)

• →Pak Ou Caves
• →Nong Khiaw river views
• →Som Nang viewpoint sunset hike

Hire a local boat up the Nam Ou river to Ban Sopkhong and Ban Anoulack (~£8-10 return) — UNESCO-supported weaving villages where you can watch silk dyeing. Lunch in a stilt house and a swim off the boat. Afternoon: cycle out to Nayangtai village (~£2 bike hire) or just sink into the hammock.

🚌Local river boat ~£9; bicycle ~£2

🛏Nong Khiaw riverside bungalow (~£10)

• →Ban Sopkhong village visit
• →Ban Anoulack cultural village
• →Nam Ou river boat trip

Pre-dawn hike up Pha Daeng Peak (~£2 entry, ~2hrs) for cloud-sea views over the limestone karsts. Then transfer by minivan south to Oudomxay / Nam Kat Yorla Pa (~4hrs, ~£8) and check into a forest lodge or budget resort room (~£20). Evening walk along the Nam Kat river.

🚌Minivan to Nam Kat ~£8

🛏Nam Kat eco-resort budget room (~£20)

• →Pha Daeng Peak sunrise hike
• →Nam Kat river walk

Walk the Nam Kat hanging bridges and trek to the waterfall (~£8 guided, or free self-guided on marked trails). Afternoon Lao cooking class (~£15) — mok pa and laap. Optional zipline circuit (~£25) if you want the adrenaline hit.

🚌On foot

🛏Nam Kat eco-resort budget room (~£20)

• →Hanging bridges & waterfall trek
• →Lao cooking class
• →Optional zipline

Minivan or VIP bus south to Luang Prabang (~4-5hrs, ~£8-10). Check into a guesthouse in the peninsula old town (~£15). Spend the afternoon wandering the temples — Wat Xieng Thong (~£2), Wat Mai — and climb Mount Phousi (~£2) for sunset over the Mekong.

🚌Minivan to Luang Prabang ~£9

🛏Luang Prabang old-town guesthouse (~£15)

• →Wat Xieng Thong
• →Mount Phousi sunset
• →Night market
• →UNESCO old town walk

Rise at 5.30am to watch the alms-giving procession (free — observe respectfully from a distance, don't buy sticky rice from touts). Browse the morning market. Then take a shared tuk-tuk to Kuang Si Waterfall (~£7 return + £2 entry) and stop at the Tat Kuang Si bear sanctuary. Evening: treat yourself to a Baci ceremony dinner or a Lao BBQ on the riverside (~£8).

🚌Shared tuk-tuk to Kuang Si ~£7

🛏Luang Prabang old-town guesthouse (~£15)

• →Alms-giving ceremony
• →Morning market
• →Kuang Si Waterfall & bear sanctuary
• →Lao BBQ dinner

Slow morning: coffee at a Mekong-side cafe, last old-town wander, and a tuk-tuk to the airport (~£4). Most travellers fly out to Bangkok, Hanoi or Vientiane to connect home.

🚌Tuk-tuk to airport ~£4

🛏—

• →Last old-town wander
• →Coffee on the Mekong