17-Day Self-Launched Vietnam: Hanoi to the Mekong
17 days · Vietnam
Indochina Today Travel charges £1,592
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of Indochina Today Travel's 17-day Hanoi-to-Mekong itinerary. You'll cover the same ground — Hanoi's heritage sights and water puppets, a homestay trek in Sapa, an overnight Halong Bay cruise, the Reunification Express south to Hue, Hoi An's old town, Nha Trang's islands and mud baths, Ho Chi Minh City with the Cu Chi Tunnels, and a Mekong Delta day trip — but booking hostels, local buses, trains and GetYourGuide/Klook day tours yourself. Roughly a 45-50% saving on the operator's advertised price. Costs are approximate per-person estimates based on current budget-traveller rates and will vary with season, room type and how much you eat out.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Hanoi
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai International Airport and either take bus #86 (around £1.20) or a Grab ride (around £7-9) into the Old Quarter. Check into a hostel or budget hotel and spend the evening wandering Hoan Kiem Lake and the 36 Streets. Book your onward Sapa transport and day tours tonight or pre-book online.
🚌Airport bus #86 or Grab from Noi Bai (~£1-9)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in the Old Quarter (£8-18)
- →Hoan Kiem Lake evening stroll
- →Old Quarter street food dinner
Hanoi Heritage & Culture Day
Hanoi
Self-guided walking day covering the same sights as the group tour: Tran Quoc Pagoda, the Ho Chi Minh Complex and mausoleum (closed Mon/Fri, free but queues — go early), One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature (£2 entry), Hoa Lo Prison Museum (£2) and the Museum of Ethnology (£2, closed Mondays — swap for the Women's Museum if so). In the evening catch a Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre show (£3-4, book at the box office or Klook).
🚌Walk or Grab bike between sights (~£3 total)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in the Old Quarter (£8-18)
- →Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & One Pillar Pagoda
- →Temple of Literature
- →Hoa Lo Prison Museum
- →Museum of Ethnology
- →Thang Long Water Puppet show
Hanoi to Sapa & Ta Van Trek
Sapa / Ta Van
Take a sleeper bus or limousine van from Hanoi to Sapa (around £10-14, 5-6 hours; book via your hostel or Klook). On arrival, hire a local Hmong guide in Sapa town (around £15-20 for a half day) and trek down through rice terraces to Ta Van village via Y Linh Ho. Arrange a homestay in Ta Van in advance or on arrival (around £8-12 including dinner and breakfast).
🚌Sleeper bus Hanoi-Sapa (~£12)
🛏Hmong homestay in Ta Van village (£8-12 with meals)
- →Trek Sapa to Ta Van via Y Linh Ho
- →Rice terrace and Hmong village walk
- →Village homestay dinner
Giang Ta Chai, Silver Waterfall & Ancient Stone Circle
Sapa
Full-day trek with your local guide through Giang Ta Chai village, crossing the Rattan suspension bridge over the Muong Hoa River, with a picnic lunch on the route. In the afternoon hire a motorbike taxi or shared van to the Silver Waterfall and the ancient stone circle with its carvings (small entry fees, £1-2 each). Return to Sapa town for the night.
🚌Trekking on foot; shared van/motorbike taxi to Silver Waterfall (~£6)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Sapa town (£8-15)
- →Giang Ta Chai trek
- →Rattan Bridge & Muong Hoa River
- →Silver Waterfall
- →Ancient stone circle
Cat Cat Village & Back to Hanoi
Sapa / Hanoi
Morning walk to Cat Cat village (entry around £2) to see the French-built hydroelectric station and Hmong textile stalls, lunch in Sapa town, then take an afternoon sleeper bus back to Hanoi (around £12). Arrive in the Old Quarter late evening.
🚌Cat Cat on foot; sleeper bus Sapa-Hanoi (~£12)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in the Old Quarter (£8-18)
- →Cat Cat village & hydroelectric station
- →Sapa town lunch
Halong Bay Overnight Cruise
Halong Bay
Take a 2-day/1-night budget Halong Bay cruise booked via Klook or GetYourGuide or direct with a Halong operator (around £90-120 including shuttle from Hanoi, all meals, kayaking and cave visits). Afternoon cruise among the limestone karsts, visit Sung Sot or Thien Cung cave and a beach stop, dinner on board and sunset on deck.
🚌Shuttle bus Hanoi-Halong Bay included in cruise
🛏Double/twin cabin on a budget junk boat (included in cruise price)
- →Halong Bay cruise
- →Cave and island visit
- →Beach stop
- →Sunset on deck
Kayaking & Return to Hanoi
Halong Bay / Hanoi
Morning kayaking around the caves and floating villages, brunch on board, then the return shuttle to Hanoi arriving late afternoon. Book your train ticket south tonight — the Reunification Express to Hue is best booked a few days ahead on the Vietnam Railways site or via 12Go Asia (soft sleeper around £30-38).
🚌Kayaking included; shuttle back to Hanoi included; collect train tickets
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in the Old Quarter (£8-18)
- →Morning kayaking
- →Floating village views
Reunification Express to Hue
Hanoi / Hue
Day train or overnight train to Hue (SE1/SE3/SE19 services, around £30-38 soft sleeper, ~13 hours). If you take the day train you get coastal views through the Hai Van pass area; the overnight saves a hotel night. Check into a guesthouse in the backpacker area west of the Perfume River and explore Dong Ba market in the evening.
🚌Reunification Express train Hanoi-Hue (~£34)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Hue (£8-15)
- →Dong Ba market
- →Perfume River evening walk
Hue Citadel, Tombs & On to Danang
Hue / Danang
Rent a bicycle or Grab to the Imperial Citadel (£5 entry) and Thien Mu Pagoda, take a short dragon boat ride on the Perfume River (£3-5), then visit Khai Dinh Tomb (£5). In the afternoon take a local bus or shared limousine van over the Hai Van Pass to Danang (around £5-8, 2-3 hours) — the train is also an option for the coastal views.
🚌Bicycle/Grab in Hue; local bus or shared van Hue-Danang (~£7)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Danang (£8-16)
- →Imperial Citadel
- →Thien Mu Pagoda
- →Dragon boat on Perfume River
- →Khai Dinh Tomb
- →Hai Van Pass crossing
Son Tra, Marble Mountains & Hoi An Old Town
Danang / Hoi An
Hire a Grab bike to Son Tra Peninsula (Monkey Mountain) and Linh Ung Pagoda's giant Lady Buddha, then the Marble Mountains (£3 entry, plus lift). Take a local bus or Grab to Hoi An (around £3-5, 45 minutes) and check into a homestay. In the late afternoon join a walking tour of the Old Town — many hostels run free ones, or do it yourself with a £6 combined old-town ticket covering the Japanese Bridge, assembly halls and Tan Ky ancestral house. Dinner by the lantern-lit river.
🚌Grab bike Danang; local bus or Grab Danang-Hoi An (~£4)
🛏Hoi An homestay or hostel (£8-16)
- →Son Tra Peninsula & Linh Ung Pagoda
- →Marble Mountains
- →Hoi An Old Town walking tour
- →Japanese Bridge & assembly halls
- →Lantern-lit riverside dinner
Free Day in Hoi An
Hoi An
A full free day to slow down: rent a bicycle (£2) and cycle to An Bang or Cua Dai beach, take a £15-18 half-day cooking class (many include a market tour), get clothes tailored, or try a basket boat tour in the Cam Thanh coconut palms. Sample cao lau noodles and white rose dumplings.
🚌Bicycle hire (~£2)
🛏Hoi An homestay or hostel (£8-16)
- →An Bang beach
- →Optional cooking class
- →Cam Thanh basket boats
- →Hoi An food tasting
Hoi An to Nha Trang
Nha Trang
Travel south by sleeper train (Danang/Tam Ky to Nha Trang, around £18-25) or sleeper bus (around £12-16). Afternoon arrival — check into a hostel near the beach and walk the promenade for sunset, then seafood dinner at a local market stall.
🚌Sleeper bus or train Hoi An/Danang-Nha Trang (~£14-22)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Nha Trang beach (£8-16)
- →Nha Trang beach promenade
- →Seafood dinner
Hon Mun Snorkelling & Hon Tam Mud Baths
Nha Trang
Book a boat day trip via Klook or GetYourGuide covering Hon Mun Island snorkelling and coral reef, a seafood lunch, and the Hon Tam mud baths, hot mineral springs and infinity pool (around £35-50 including lunch and transfers, or book Hon Tam's mud bath package direct for around £18-22 plus a separate snorkelling boat).
🚌Boat trip transfers included in day tour
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Nha Trang beach (£8-16)
- →Hon Mun Island snorkelling
- →Coral reef and swimming
- →Hon Tam mud bath & hot springs
- →Seafood village lunch
Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Fly (VietJet/Bamboo, around £30-50 booked ahead) or take the sleeper train to Saigon (around £25-30, ~8-9 hours). Check into a hostel in District 1 and spend the evening on a self-guided street food crawl around Ben Thanh market and the Bui Vien area. Book the Cu Chi and Mekong day tours tonight.
🚌Flight or sleeper train to Saigon (~£30-45)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in District 1 (£8-18)
- →Ben Thanh market
- →District 1 street food crawl
Saigon City Sights & Cu Chi Tunnels
Ho Chi Minh City
Morning self-guided walk: Independence Palace (£2.50), Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (exterior), and the War Remnants Museum (£2). Afternoon half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour booked via Klook (around £15-22 including transport and guide) — crawl the tunnels and see the traps and workshops. Optional AK-47 firing at around £18 extra.
🚌Walking in District 1; Cu Chi tour transport included (~£18)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in District 1 (£8-18)
- →Independence Palace
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
- →Cu Chi Tunnels tour
Mekong Delta Day Trip
My Tho / Ben Tre / Ho Chi Minh City
Full-day Mekong Delta tour booked via Klook or GetYourGuide (around £18-28 including transport, boat, lunch and guide). Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, boat along the Tien River past the four islets, see floating fish rafts, walk Thoi Son island's fruit gardens, try honey tea and Don Ca Tai Tu folk music, row through the coconut canals and finish with coconut candy. Back in Saigon for the evening.
🚌Air-conditioned bus and boat included in day tour
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in District 1 (£8-18)
- →Vinh Trang Pagoda
- →Tien River boat tour
- →Thoi Son island village walk
- →Honey bee farm & folk music
- →Coconut canal rowing boat
Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Free morning for the last bowl of pho or a Ben Thanh market shop, then take bus #109 or #152 (about £0.30-0.50) or a Grab (around £5-7) to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your flight out.
🚌Bus #109/#152 or Grab to Tan Son Nhat Airport (~£1-6)
🛏—
- →Ben Thanh market shopping
- →Last Vietnamese breakfast
Self-launched vs. Indochina Today Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Indochina Today Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £1,592 |
| Duration | 17 days | 17 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £847 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Indochina Today Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
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 17-Day Self-Launched Vietnam: Hanoi to the Mekong cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 17 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 Indochina Today Travel?+
Yes — Indochina Today Travel charges around £1,592 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £847 (53%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 17 days, covering 17 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 adventure, culture, 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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