Classic Vietnam & Mekong River Adventure — Self-Launched
18 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
G Adventures charges £2,650
No-markup version: ~£815 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 18-day self-launched route from Hanoi to Siem Reap covering the same ground as the G Adventures classic trip — Ha Long Bay overnight on a junk boat, the Reunification Express sleeper train to Hue, the Imperial Citadel, Hoi An's tailoring and noodles, Cu Chi Tunnels, then the Mekong Delta by local boat and slow bus to Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat at sunrise. Instead of a private riverboat and group transport you use open-tour buses, the national railway, domestic flights, local ferries and shared long-tail boats — all bookable yourself. Costs are backpacker/guesthouse level estimates in GBP and will vary with season and how much you splash out.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai and take the Vietnam Airlines shuttle bus (45,000 VND, ~£1.50) or a Grab/taxi (~£12-15) to the Old Quarter. Book a hostel or small hotel near Ma May or Hang Bac. Spend the evening wandering Hoan Kiem Lake and eating bun cha or pho on the pavement. Sort tomorrow's Ha Long trip tonight — most hostels book the standard 2D/1N junk boat trip and pick you up at the door.
🚌Airport shuttle bus ~£1.50 or Grab ~£13
🛏Old Quarter hostel or budget hotel, dorm £6-10 / private £15-20
- →Hoan Kiem Lake evening walk
- →Old Quarter street food crawl
- →Book Ha Long Bay overnight boat
Ha Long Bay overnight junk boat
Ha Long Bay
Minibus pickup around 8am for the 3.5-hour drive to Ha Long. Standard overnight junk trips include kayaking, a cave visit, an island lookout stop and all meals on board — book through your hostel or Klook for roughly £65-90 depending on boat class. Sleep on the boat in a twin cabin.
🚌Shared minibus from Hanoi ~3.5 hrs (included in boat package)
🛏Overnight on a junk boat (included in tour price)
- →Kayaking in the karst bays
- →Sung Sot or similar cave visit
- →Island lookout viewpoint
- →Seafood dinner on deck
Back to Hanoi, overnight train to Hue
Hanoi → Hue
Cruise back to port, minibus to Hanoi, and use the afternoon for the Temple of Literature or Tran Quoc Pagoda (free-£1). Then catch the Reunification Express sleeper — soft-sleeper 4-berth cabins run around £25-35 and you book direct on dsvn.vn or via 12Go Asia. Stock up on bread, fruit and water before boarding.
🚌Reunification Express train Hanoi–Hue, ~13 hrs, ~£28
🛏Overnight sleeper train, soft-sleeper 4-berth
- →Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Temple of Literature
- →Water puppet theatre (optional, ~£7)
Hue Imperial Citadel & motorbike tour
Hue
Arrive mid-morning and check into a guesthouse south of the Perfume River. Walk or cycle to the Imperial Citadel (entry ~£5). In the afternoon hire an Easy Rider motorbike guide for a few hours (~£20-25) to hit the Royal Tombs, Tien Mu Pagoda and the countryside. Evening: bun bo Hue at a local stall.
🚌Walk, bicycle hire ~£2, or Easy Rider moto ~£22
🛏Hue guesthouse, private room £12-18
- →Guided Imperial Citadel visit
- →Royal Tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh
- →Tien Mu Pagoda
- →Easy Rider motorbike tour
Hai Van Pass to Hoi An
Hue → Hoi An
Take the local bus or a shared minibus to Hoi An (~£6-8). If you're comfortable on two wheels, hire a scooter one-way and ride the Hai Van Pass yourself — one of Vietnam's best coastal roads. Check into a guesthouse in the Old Town or near An Bang Beach and get your first look at the lantern-lit streets.
🚌Local bus or shared minibus ~£7; scooter one-way ~£12
🛏Hoi An guesthouse £10-16
- →Hai Van Pass viewpoint stops
- →Hoi An Old Town walking
- →Lantern-lit riverside evening
Hoi An — noodle class & tailoring
Hoi An
Morning Vietnamese cooking class (Klook/GetYourGuide, ~£20-25) covering cao lau and fresh spring rolls — this replaces the operator's noodles experience. Afternoon: get measured for a tailor-made shirt or dress (from ~£25-40) and rent a bike to ride out to the rice paddies or An Bang Beach.
🚌Bicycle hire ~£2
🛏Hoi An guesthouse £10-16
- →Vietnamese cooking class incl. noodle making
- →Tailor fitting in Old Town
- →An Bang Beach afternoon
My Son ruins or free day
Hoi An
Optional early shared minibus to My Son Cham ruins (~£10 transport + £6 entry, best at sunrise). Otherwise a free day: Thu Bon river boat trip (~£10), basket-boat ride in Cam Thanh, or just beach and coffee. Book tomorrow's domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh City tonight.
🚌Shared minibus to My Son ~£10 or bicycle
🛏Hoi An guesthouse £10-16
- →My Son Sanctuary (optional)
- →Thu Bon river boat trip
- →Cam Thanh coconut village basket boats
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City
Short transfer to Da Nang airport and a 1h20 flight to Saigon (VietJet/Vietnam Airlines, ~£30-45 booked ahead, 20kg bag). Land in District 1 and walk the city: Ben Thanh Market, the colonial post office, Notre Dame and a rooftop beer. Stay in Pham Ngu Lao or District 1.
🚌Flight Da Nang–Saigon ~£35; Grab airport transfer ~£4
🛏Saigon hostel or budget hotel, dorm £7-11 / private £18-25
- →Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
- →Ben Thanh Market
- →Bui Vien evening
Cu Chi Tunnels & War Remnants Museum
Ho Chi Minh City
Morning shared shuttle or local bus (#13 to Cu Chi, ~£1) to the Cu Chi Tunnels — entry ~£5, guided group tour bookable via GetYourGuide from ~£15 incl. transport. Afternoon back in the city for the War Remnants Museum (£2), Reunification Palace (£2) and a banh mi dinner.
🚌Shared shuttle to Cu Chi ~£15 return, or public bus ~£1
🛏Saigon hostel or budget hotel £7-25
- →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Reunification Palace
Into the Mekong — My Tho
Ho Chi Minh City → My Tho
Local bus from Mien Tay station to My Tho (~£1.50, 2 hrs) — the same delta gateway the riverboat uses. Check into a small guesthouse or homestay, then book tomorrow's Cai Be floating market boat trip locally (hostels and My Tho tour offices arrange shared long-tail boats from ~£10-15). Afternoon wander and a delta-style dinner of elephant ear fish.
🚌Local bus Saigon–My Tho ~£1.50
🛏My Tho guesthouse or homestay £10-15
- →Mien Tay bus station experience
- →Mekong riverside walk
- →Book Cai Be floating market boat
Cai Be floating market & island villages
My Tho → Cai Be → Sa Dec
Early shared long-tail boat to Cai Be floating market, then hop between delta islands: Thoi Son for coconut candy and honey tea, Ben Tre for a coconut-product workshop and fruit orchards, with a local musician stop. This is the DIY version of the operator's island day. Afternoon local bus or boat onwards to Sa Dec (~£3-5) to overnight.
🚌Shared long-tail boats ~£12-18 total; local bus My Tho–Sa Dec ~£4
🛏Sa Dec guesthouse £10-14
- →Cai Be floating market at dawn
- →Coconut candy & honey workshop
- →Traditional southern folk music stop
- →Delta island cycling
Sa Dec colonial houses & Chau Doc sunset
Sa Dec → Chau Doc
Morning at Kien An Cung Pagoda, Sa Dec's riverside flower market and the old colonial house of Huynh Thuy Le (the 'Lover' house, ~£1). Then bus to Chau Doc (~2.5 hrs, ~£4). Late afternoon climb or moto up Sam Mountain for sunset over the rice paddies, with temples and pagodas along the way. Overnight in Chau Doc.
🚌Local bus Sa Dec–Chau Doc ~£4; moto to Sam Mountain ~£3
🛏Chau Doc guesthouse £10-15
- →Kien An Cung Pagoda
- →Sa Dec flower market
- →Huynh Thuy Le ancient house
- →Sam Mountain sunset
Border crossing to Phnom Penh
Chau Doc → Phnom Penh
Take the shared speedboat from Chau Doc up the Mekong to Phnom Penh (~£22-28, 4-5 hrs incl. border formalities) — an affordable DIY reprise of the riverboat leg — or a cheaper bus via the Vinh Xuong/Tinh Bien crossing (~£10). Get your Cambodian e-visa in advance (~£25). Check into a guesthouse near the riverside and take a cyclo tour of Wat Phnom, the Royal Palace exterior and the National Museum at dusk (~£5-7).
🚌Shared Mekong speedboat ~£25 or bus ~£10 (plus Cambodia e-visa ~£25)
🛏Phnom Penh guesthouse £10-16
- →Mekong river crossing
- →Cyclo ride around Wat Phnom and the Royal Palace area
- →Riverside sunset drinks
Tuol Sleng & the Killing Fields
Phnom Penh
A sobering but essential day. Take a tuk-tuk to Tuol Sleng (S-21) Prison with an audio guide (~£4 entry + £3 audio), then onward to Choeung Ek Killing Fields (~£3 entry). Tuk-tuk for both ~£10-12 for the half day. Afternoon: Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (~£8) or the Russian Market for coffee and textiles.
🚌Tuk-tuk half day ~£11
🛏Phnom Penh guesthouse £10-16
- →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
- →Choeung Ek Killing Fields
- →Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
- →Russian Market
Koh Chen & Kampong Chhnang, or bus to Siem Reap
Phnom Penh → Kampong Chhnang → Siem Reap
Option A: half-day trip north to Koh Chen silversmith village and Kampong Chhnang fishing port (~£15-20 with a driver), then the afternoon bus to Siem Reap (6 hrs, ~£10-13). Option B: direct morning bus Phnom Penh–Siem Reap (~£10-13) and a free afternoon. Arrive Siem Reap, book your Angkor tuk-tuk driver and guide for tomorrow sunrise, and eat at a vocational-training restaurant such as New Hope or Friends (~£5-8).
🚌Local bus Phnom Penh–Siem Reap ~£12 (or half-day driver ~£18)
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse £10-16
- →Koh Chen silversmith village (optional)
- →Kampong Chhnang floating fishing port (optional)
- →Community/vocational restaurant dinner
Angkor small circuit by tuk-tuk
Siem Reap
Buy the 3-day Angkor pass (~£50) and hire a tuk-tuk driver for the day (~£15-18). Afternoon: Angkor Wat itself plus Phnom Bakheng sunset. A licensed guide is optional (~£30/day) but excellent — book through GetYourGuide or your guesthouse. Evening at Pub Street or the night market.
🚌Tuk-tuk day hire ~£17
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse £10-16
- →Angkor Wat afternoon exploration
- →Phnom Bakheng sunset
- →Angkor 3-day pass
Angkor Wat sunrise, Bayon & Ta Prohm
Siem Reap
Pre-dawn tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat for sunrise, then the walled city of Angkor Thom — Bayon's stone faces and the Terrace of the Elephants — and the tree-entangled Ta Prohm. A GetYourGuide small-group sunrise tour with a licensed guide costs ~£20-30; doing it with just a tuk-tuk driver is ~£17 for the vehicle. Afternoon: floating village at Tonle Sap or a Khmer cooking class (~£15).
🚌Tuk-tuk sunrise circuit ~£17
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse £10-16
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Bayon temple faces
- →Ta Prohm
- →Optional Tonle Sap floating village or Khmer cooking class
Depart Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Last morning for the market, a massage (~£6-10) or Banteay Srei if you have a late flight. Tuk-tuk to Siem Reap airport (~£5-7). If you're flying on to Bangkok or beyond, note that most nationalities can get a Cambodian visa on arrival or e-visa easily.
🚌Tuk-tuk to airport ~£6
🛏None (departure day)
- →Old market shopping
- →Khmer massage
- →Optional Banteay Srei temple
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£815 | £2,650 |
| Duration | 18 days | 18 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,835 per person (69%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£815
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Classic Vietnam & Mekong River Adventure — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £815 per person for 18 days in Vietnam & Cambodia. 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,650 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £815 — a saving of roughly £1,835 (69%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 18 days, covering 18 day-by-day stops through Vietnam & Cambodia.
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, foodie trip through Vietnam & Cambodia, 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.