10 Days Vietnam Super Save — Self-Launched
10 days · Vietnam
Wonderscape Travel charges £665
No-markup version: ~£661 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Wonderscape Travel's "10 Days Vietnam Super Save" — Hanoi's old-quarter landmarks and temples, a night on a Ha Long Bay boat, lantern-lit Hoi An and the Cham ruins of My Son, then Ho Chi Minh City with the Cu Chi Tunnels and a Mekong Delta day trip. Everything is self-bookable: cheap sleeper trains and open buses instead of internal flights, hostels and budget guesthouses instead of 3-5* hotels, and GetYourGuide/Klook day tours instead of a fixed group schedule — so you keep the freedom to linger where you like. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Hanoi, ease into the Old Quarter
Hanoi
Fly into Noi Bai (HAN) and take the airport bus #86 (around £1.50) or a Grab car (~£8-10) into the Old Quarter. Base yourself near Hoan Kiem Lake. Spend the afternoon wandering the 36 streets, coffee on a balcony over the motorbike chaos, and a bowl of bun cha or pho for dinner. Pick up a SIM card at the airport or at any Viettel/Mobifone shop in town (~£5-8 for 30 days of data).
🚌Airport bus #86 or Grab from Noi Bai, then walking
🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm or budget guesthouse
- →Old Quarter wander
- →Hoan Kiem Lake at dusk
- →Street food dinner (bun cha / pho)
Hanoi's big-hitters on a walking day
Hanoi
Do the classic Hanoi circuit on foot: Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake, the Ho Chi Minh Complex (mausoleum, stilt house, One Pillar Pagoda — free, closed Monday/Friday afternoons), the Temple of Literature (~£1.50) and Hoa Lo Prison (~£1.50). In the late afternoon, swap the Ethnology Museum for the Women's Museum (~£1.50) if you prefer. Evening: a water puppet show at Thang Long Theatre (~£4-6) or a £3 bia hoi corner with the locals.
🚌Walking; occasional Grab bike (~£1)
🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm or budget guesthouse
- →Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Ho Chi Minh Complex & One Pillar Pagoda
- →Temple of Literature
- →Hoa Lo Prison
- →Water puppet show (optional)
Ha Long Bay overnight cruise
Ha Long Bay
Book a 2-day/1-night Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay cruise on Klook or GetYourGuide (~£75-110 including transfers, all meals and kayaking). A shuttle collects you from the Old Quarter around 8am, then it's limestone karsts, a cave walk, kayaking or swimming by floating villages, and dinner on deck. Cheaper alternative: bus to Cat Ba town and a day boat from there, but the overnight cruise is the one splurge worth keeping.
🚌Shuttle bus from Hanoi Old Quarter included in cruise package
🛏Overnight on a mid-range junk boat (twin cabin)
- →Ha Long / Lan Ha Bay cruise
- →Limestone cave exploration
- →Kayaking or swimming near floating villages
Bay morning, then south to Hoi An
Hoi An
Sunrise tai chi on deck, breakfast, a floating fishing village stop, then back to Hanoi by early afternoon. From Hanoi, take the Reunification Express sleeper train to Da Nang (SE3/SE5, ~16 hours, soft sleeper ~£30-40) or a 1-hour domestic flight with VietJet/Bamboo (~£30-45 if booked ahead). From Da Nang it's a 45-minute Grab or local bus #1 (~£1) to Hoi An. Alternative for slow travellers: the open bus (Hung Thanh/The Sinh Tourist) Hanoi–Hoi An, ~18 hours, ~£25.
🚌Cruise shuttle to Hanoi, then sleeper train to Da Nang (~£35) or budget flight (~£35)
🛏Hoi An hostel or budget guesthouse
- →Sunrise on the bay
- →Floating fishing village stop
- →Overnight train journey south
Hoi An Old Town and lantern evening
Hoi An
Rent a bicycle (~£1.50/day) and ease in. Buy the Old Town entry ticket (~£4) which covers five heritage sites: the Japanese Covered Bridge, Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall, Tan Ky and Phung Hung ancient houses, and the Folk Culture Museum. Browse the market and handicraft shops, then hire a small boat on the Thu Bon River at dusk (~£2-3) and release a flower lantern (~50p). Tailor shops will run you up a suit in 24 hours if you fancy it.
🚌Bicycle rental
🛏Hoi An hostel or budget guesthouse
- →Hoi An Old Town heritage ticket
- →Japanese Covered Bridge & assembly halls
- →Hoi An Market
- →Thu Bon River boat ride & lantern release
My Son Sanctuary sunrise tour + beach afternoon
My Son / Hoi An
Take a sunrise group tour to My Son Sanctuary (~£15-22 on GetYourGuide, includes transport, guide and entrance) to beat the heat and crowds, catching the Cham Apsara dance performance on site. Back in Hoi An by early afternoon — hire a bike and cycle to An Bang Beach (~4km) for the rest of the day, or get a £5-8 massage in town.
🚌Shared minibus on tour; bicycle to the beach
🛏Hoi An hostel or budget guesthouse
- →My Son Sanctuary guided tour
- →Champa Apsara dance performance
- →An Bang Beach afternoon
Travel to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Fly Da Nang–Saigon with VietJet or Bamboo (~£30-45, 1h20) or take the Reunification Express (Da Nang–Saigon, ~18 hours, soft sleeper ~£35). Land, check into a District 1 hostel or guesthouse and hit the city in the evening — Ben Thanh Market's night food stalls, a rooftop beer, and a wander down Bui Vien if you want the backpacker strip.
🚌Budget domestic flight (~£35) plus Grab from Tan Son Nhat (~£3)
🛏District 1 hostel dorm or budget hotel
- →Ben Thanh Market night food stalls
- →Bui Vien walking street
- →District 1 wander
Cu Chi Tunnels + city landmarks
Ho Chi Minh City
Morning half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour (~£15-20 on Klook/GetYourGuide, includes bus, guide and entrance; the speedboat option costs more but saves hours). Crawl the tunnels, see the trap displays and sample the war-era tapioca and tea. Back by early afternoon, then do the city sights on foot: Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior), the Central Post Office, Reunification Palace (~£2) and the War Remnants Museum (~£2) — sobering and essential.
🚌Tour bus to Cu Chi; walking in District 1
🛏District 1 hostel dorm or budget hotel
- →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour
- →Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
- →Reunification Palace
- →War Remnants Museum
Mekong Delta day trip — Ben Tre or My Tho
Mekong Delta / Ho Chi Minh City
Book a small-group Mekong Delta day tour (~£18-28 via GetYourGuide or any District 1 travel agent). Typical route: Vinh Trang Pagoda, a sampan row along the canals past the Dragon/Unicorn/Phoenix/Tortoise islands, honey tea and coconut candy workshops, fruit tasting with folk music, and a short cycling loop through Tan Thach village. Back in Saigon by early evening for a final bowl of pho.
🚌Shared minibus and sampan boats (included in day tour)
🛏District 1 hostel dorm or budget hotel
- →Vinh Trang Pagoda
- →Mekong sampan canal ride
- →Honey farm & coconut candy workshop
- →Tan Thach village cycling
Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Last morning for a strong Vietnamese coffee and a final market browse, then Grab (or bus #109/#152, ~50p) to Tan Son Nhat for your onward flight. If you're continuing south, buses to the Mekong or Phu Quoc are easy to arrange from District 1.
🚌Grab or public bus #109/#152 to Tan Son Nhat airport
🛏—
- →Coffee and last market browse
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Wonderscape Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Wonderscape Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£661 | £665 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £4 per person (1%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Wonderscape Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£661
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 10 Days Vietnam Super Save — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £661 per person for 10 days in Vietnam. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Wonderscape Travel?+
Yes — Wonderscape Travel charges around £665 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £661 — a saving of roughly £4 (1%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Vietnam.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Vietnam, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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