Vietnam & Angkor Wat — Self-Launched Solo Adventure
14 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
Exodus charges £3,200
No-markup version: ~£647 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 14-day self-launched version of Exodus's Hanoi-to-Siem Reap cultural adventure, covering Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and the Angkor temples. Swap the private minibus, expert leader and premium hotels for local buses, budget flights, sleeper-style guesthouses and self-bookable tours — same highlights, a fraction of the price. Ideal for solo travellers happy to mix group day tours with independent wandering.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Hanoi & Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi, Vietnam
Fly into Noi Bai International Airport and take the local bus 86 (~£1) or a shared Grab (~£6-8) into the Old Quarter. Check into a hostel or boutique guesthouse near Hoan Kiem Lake. Spend the afternoon getting your bearings: stroll the tree-lined avenues around the lake, sip Vietnamese coffee at a streetside cafe, and book a street-food walking tour online. Join a group welcome dinner at a KOTO-style training restaurant — KOTO itself (Know One, Teach One) is open to the public and dinner costs ~£8-12.
🚌Airport bus 86 (~£1) or shared Grab ride (~£6-8)
🛏Old Quarter hostel or guesthouse, ~£10-16/night (private room) or £5-8 dorm
- →Old Quarter self-guided wander
- →Hoan Kiem Lake sunset stroll
- →Dinner at KOTO training restaurant
Hanoi city highlights & food crawl
Hanoi, Vietnam
Book a half-day Hanoi highlights tour via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£15-20) covering the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison and the Old Quarter, or DIY it with entry tickets (Temple of Literature ~£2, Hoa Lo ~£2). Lunch at a bia hoi corner joint (~£2-3). Free afternoon around Hoan Kiem Lake. In the evening, join a small-group street-food tour (~£18) or graze solo on bun cha, banh mi and egg coffee.
🚌Walking + occasional Grab (~£2-3)
🛏Old Quarter hostel or guesthouse, ~£10-16
- →Temple of Literature
- →Hoa Lo Prison
- →Optional evening street-food tour
Ha Long Bay overnight cruise
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Book a budget-to-midrange 2-day/1-night Ha Long Bay cruise via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£90-130 pp incl. meals, transfers and kayaking — split from the pricier 'Premium boat' category). Shared minibus departs Hanoi ~8am (~4hrs). Cruise among the limestone karsts, swim and kayak, enjoy a seafood lunch on board, and watch the sunset from the deck. Overnight in a twin-share cabin.
🚌Shared shuttle from Hanoi + cruise boat (included)
🛏Ha Long Bay cruise boat cabin (twin-share), included in cruise price
- →Karst cruising
- →Kayaking
- →Swimming stop
- →Sunset on deck
Cruise finale & return to Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam
Continue cruising the bay in the morning before docking around midday. Shared shuttle back to Hanoi (arrive late afternoon). Free evening to explore or relax. Optionally catch a Thang Long water puppet performance (~£4-6, book direct or via Klook).
🚌Cruise boat + shared shuttle back to Hanoi (included in cruise)
🛏Old Quarter hostel or guesthouse, ~£10-16
- →Morning bay cruising
- →Optional water puppet show
Fly to Da Nang, Marble Mountain & Hoi An
Hoi An, Vietnam
Book a cheap VietJet or VietJet Air/Vietnam Airlines flight Hanoi–Da Nang (~£35-55, booked 3-6 weeks ahead). On arrival, take a Grab (~£10) or public bus to Marble Mountain to explore the caves and viewpoints (~£2 entry + optional lift). Continue by Grab to Hoi An (~£8-10). Check into a riverside guesthouse and dine somewhere with Thu Bon River views (~£5-8).
🚌Domestic flight (~£35-55) + Grab rides
🛏Hoi An riverside guesthouse or boutique budget hotel, ~£12-20
- →Marble Mountain caves
- →Hoi An riverside evening
Hoi An walking tour & free afternoon
Hoi An, Vietnam
Join a small-group Hoi An walking tour (~£12-15) or buy the Old Town entrance ticket (~£5) and self-navigate the merchant houses and pagodas. Visit a local artist workshop and the riverside market. Lunch at a local eatery (~£3). Free afternoon: optional half-day trip to My Son Cham ruins (~£15-20 with transport) or hire a bicycle and ride to An Bang Beach (~£1-2 bike hire).
🚌Walking + bicycle hire (~£2)
🛏Hoi An riverside guesthouse, ~£12-20
- →Old Town walking tour
- →Artist workshop visit
- →Optional My Son ruins trip
Market visit & Vietnamese cooking class
Hoi An, Vietnam
Book a half-day market + cooking class directly or via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£20-28), including a guided market shop and hands-on cooking at a school like Green Mango or similar, finishing with you eating your creations. Free afternoon — hire a bike and ride through villages and markets to Cua Dai beach (~5km).
🚌Walking + bicycle hire (~£2)
🛏Hoi An riverside guesthouse, ~£12-20
- →Market tour
- →Vietnamese cooking class
- →Cycle to Cua Dai beach
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City & afternoon city tour
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Morning flight Da Nang–Ho Chi Minh City (~£35-55). Take the Grab or airport bus 109/152 (~£1-2) to District 1 and check into a budget hotel or hostel. Lunch at Pho Hoa on Pasteur (~£3-4). Join a walking or cyclo city tour (~£12-15) covering Notre Dame Cathedral, the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum (~£2 entry).
🚌Domestic flight (~£35-55) + airport bus/Grab
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel, ~£10-18
- →Pho Hoa lunch
- →City walking tour
- →War Remnants Museum
Cu Chi tunnels & free afternoon
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Book a half-day Cu Chi tunnels group tour via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£15-22 incl. transport and guide), or DIY with local bus 13 to Cu Chi + site entry (~£3). Return to HCMC for a free afternoon — wander Ben Thanh Market or the Saigon River waterfront. Dinner at a local spot (~£5-8).
🚌Shared tour minibus or local bus 13
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel, ~£10-18
- →Cu Chi tunnels tour
- →Ben Thanh Market browse
Mekong Delta day trip — Four Sacred Islets
Mekong Delta / My Tho, Vietnam
Book a small-group Mekong Delta day tour via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£20-30), taking you to the Four Sacred Islets (Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise, Phoenix) on the Tien River. Includes boat rides, a fruit-and-traditional-music stop, honey tea, a coconut candy workshop, a tuk tuk through coconut gardens and a rowing boat among fish cages. Return to HCMC by evening and eat at a local restaurant (~£8-12).
🚌Shared tour minibus + boats (included in tour)
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel, ~£10-18
- →Four Sacred Islets boat cruise
- →Coconut candy workshop
- →Rowing boat & fruit stop
Fly to Siem Reap & Khmer welcome dinner
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Fly Ho Chi Minh City–Siem Reap (~£60-90 one-way on VietJet/Angkor Air; alternatively fly to Phnom Penh and bus, cheaper but longer). Cambodia e-visa ~£28 (apply online ahead). Take a tuk tuk (~£3-4) or hotel shuttle from the airport. Check into a guesthouse near Pub Street or the river. Evening dinner at a farm-to-table Khmer restaurant (~£8-12) — book direct. If time allows, catch sunset at Angkor's ticket office area or Phnom Bakheng if you've already got a pass.
🚌International flight (~£60-90) + airport tuk tuk (~£3-4)
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse or budget boutique hotel, ~£10-18
- →Arrival & orientation
- →Farm-to-table Khmer dinner
Sunrise at Angkor Wat & temple circuit
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Buy a 3-day Angkor pass (~£50) at the ticket office or online. Pre-book a tuk tuk driver for the day (~£12-18) or join a small-group sunrise tour via GetYourGuide (~£15-20). Start before dawn at Angkor Wat for sunrise, then explore Angkor Thom, Bayon and surrounding temples. Lunch at a local Srah Srang village eatery (~£3-5). Finish around 4pm, back to the guesthouse to relax.
🚌Tuk tuk day hire (~£12-18)
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse or budget boutique hotel, ~£10-18
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Angkor Thom & Bayon
- →Village lunch
Second day at Angkor & lesser-visited temples
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Use day 2 of your 3-day pass. Hire a tuk tuk or join a small-group tour to the outlying temples — Ta Prohm (the 'Tomb Raider' temple), Banteay Kdei, Preah Khan and optionally Banteay Srei (~£25-30 with a group tour and transport). Return for a free evening on Pub Street, with dinner at a local Khmer spot (~£5-8).
🚌Tuk tuk day hire or small-group tour transport (~£15-30)
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse or budget boutique hotel, ~£10-18
- →Ta Prohm
- →Preah Khan & Banteay Kdei
- →Optional Banteay Srei
- →Pub Street evening
Depart Siem Reap
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Final breakfast at the guesthouse, then transfer by tuk tuk (~£3-4) to Siem Reap International Airport for onward flights. If your flight is late, fit in a final temple, the Angkor National Museum (~£8) or a Khmer cooking class.
🚌Airport tuk tuk (~£3-4)
🛏—
- →Optional Angkor National Museum
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£647 | £3,200 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,553 per person (80%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£647
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 Vietnam & Angkor Wat — Self-Launched Solo Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £647 per person for 14 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 Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £3,200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £647 — a saving of roughly £2,553 (80%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 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 culture, backpacker, gap-year 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?
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