Vietnam & Cambodia Thorough in 10 Days — Self-Launched
10 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
Responsible Asia charges £1,145
No-markup version: ~£565 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Responsible Asia's 10-day Hanoi-to-Siem Reap route: Hanoi's Old Quarter, the karst valleys of Ninh Binh, an overnight boat in Halong Bay (or the equally scenic Lan Ha Bay), the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels from Ho Chi Minh City, then a cheap flight into Cambodia for the Angkor temples, Tonle Sap floating villages and a silk farm. Everything is booked independently — sleeper trains and open-tour buses in Vietnam, a budget Halong cruise booked direct, an overnight bus or low-cost flight overland into Cambodia, and Angkor day passes and tuk-tuk drivers arranged on the ground. Expect hostel/guesthouse or good 3-star private rooms, street food and local restaurants, and self-bookable day tours via GetYourGuide or Klook. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP and exclude international flights to Hanoi/from Siem Reap.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter on foot
Hanoi
Fly into Noi Bai (HAN) and take the Vietjet/Vietnam Airlines shuttle bus or the Noi Bai Express airport bus 86 (about £1.30) into the Old Quarter; a Grab is roughly £8-10. Check into a hostel or budget boutique hotel near Ma May or Ta Hien street. Spend the afternoon walking the Hoan Kiem lake loop, the 36 streets, and Dong Xuan market, then eat bun cha or pho on plastic stools. In the evening book your Day 2 Ninh Binh day tour and your Day 3-4 Halong trip via GetYourGuide/Klook or directly with a hostel partner — book 24-48h ahead in high season.
🚌Airport bus 86 from Noi Bai ~£1.30; walking + Grab in town
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Old Quarter (£10-18)
- →Self-guided Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake walk
- →Dong Xuan Market
- →Street food dinner (bun cha, pho)
- →Book Ninh Binh and Halong Bay trips
Ninh Binh day trip — Hoa Lu, Tam Coc, rice-field cycling
Ninh Binh / Hanoi
Join a small-group or shared day tour (bookable on Klook/GetYourGuide, ~£25-32 including transport, boat and lunch) or do it yourself: catch a train or limousine bus from Hanoi to Ninh Binh (~£6-8, 2h) and hire a bicycle (~£2/day). Cycle to the Hoa Lu ancient capital and its Dinh and Le dynasty temples, then to Tam Coc for the classic 2-hour rowing boat through the limestone caves (ticket ~£8). Lunch on goat meat or com chay in Tam Coc village. Return to Hanoi by late afternoon bus/train.
🚌Shared day tour minibus or train/limousine bus Hanoi–Ninh Binh ~£6-8 each way
🛏Same Hanoi hotel
- →Hoa Lu ancient capital temples (King Dinh & King Le)
- →Tam Coc rowing boat through limestone caves
- →Cycling through rice fields and villages
- →Vietnamese lunch in Tam Coc
Halong Bay overnight cruise — board and kayak
Halong Bay / Lan Ha Bay
Pick up by cruise shuttle bus from the Old Quarter (usually included). Board a mid-range junk — book direct with a local cruise brand rather than through an agency to save commission; a good 3-star overnight cruise is about £110-140 all-in with meals, kayaking and a cabin berth. Sail past the karst towers, enjoy a seafood lunch, then kayak or swim at a quiet lagoon. Dinner on deck and a quiet evening with squid fishing or star-gazing.
🚌Cruise shuttle bus from Hanoi included
🛏Berth/cabin on a 3-star Halong Bay junk (included in cruise price)
- →Scenic drive through the Red River Delta
- →Overnight junk cruise among limestone karsts
- →Seafood lunch and dinner onboard
- →Kayaking or swimming at a secluded spot
Sunrise on the bay, then fly south to Ho Chi Minh City
Halong Bay → Ho Chi Minh City
Wake early for tai chi on the sun deck and breakfast as the boat sails back, stopping at a stalactite cave. Disembark around 11am and shuttle back to Hanoi. In the late afternoon take a cheap VietJet/Bamboo flight Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City (~£35-50 booked a few weeks ahead) or the Reunification Express sleeper train (~£30-40, 30+ hours — not practical for this schedule). Stay in District 1 near Bui Vien or Pham Ngu Lao.
🚌Cruise shuttle back to Hanoi; domestic flight HAN–SGN ~£35-50
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse, District 1 (£12-20)
- →Sunrise and tai chi on the sun deck
- →Limestone cave visit
- →Flight to Ho Chi Minh City
- →Evening wander in District 1 / Ben Thanh night market
Mekong Delta — My Tho canals and villages
Mekong Delta / Ho Chi Minh City
Take a small-group Mekong Delta day tour booked on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£20-28 incl. transport and lunch) or DIY with a local bus from Mien Tay station to My Tho (~£2). Boat around the four islands, walk through orchards on Unicorn Island, taste tropical fruit with folk music, ride a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal, and stop at a honeybee farm and coconut-candy workshop. Cycle through Tan Thach village or nap in a hammock before returning to the city.
🚌Shared minibus day tour or local bus to My Tho ~£2 each way
🛏Same Ho Chi Minh City hotel
- →Sampan boat around Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Tortoise islands
- →Orchard walk and tropical fruit tasting with folk music
- →Hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal
- →Honeybee farm, coconut candy workshop, village cycling
Cu Chi Tunnels — half-day DIY
Cu Chi / Ho Chi Minh City
Take local bus 13 to Cu Chi town then bus 79 to the tunnels (~£1 total, about 2h) or a shared minibus tour (~£15-18 incl. entry). Entry is about £5. Watch the intro film, crawl through sections of the tunnel network, see the living areas, kitchens, field hospitals and trap doors, and finish with tea and boiled cassava. Back in the city by mid-afternoon — use the evening for a banh mi crawl or the War Remnants Museum (open until 5:30pm, ~£1.50).
🚌Local buses 13 + 79 (~£1) or shared minibus tour
🛏Same Ho Chi Minh City hotel
- →Cu Chi tunnel system and wartime displays
- →Special tea and cassava tasting
- →War Remnants Museum (optional)
- →Street food evening in District 1
Cross into Cambodia — Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Two easy options: a direct flight SGN–REP with Vietjet/AirAsia (~£45-70), or the backpacker classic — a Mekong Express/Giant Ibis bus to Phnom Penh (~£10, 6h) plus an overnight sleeper bus to Siem Reap (~£12-15) if you want to add a night in the capital. Most travellers fly to save a day. Arrive Siem Reap, check into a guesthouse near Pub Street or Wat Bo, sort your Angkor pass online (1-day pass £30, 3-day £60) and hire a tuk-tuk driver for the temples.
🚌Flight SGN–REP ~£45-70, or bus SGN–Phnom Penh ~£10 + sleeper to Siem Reap ~£13
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Siem Reap (£10-18)
- →Cross-border journey to Cambodia
- →Angkor pass set-up and tuk-tuk driver booking
- →Evening at Pub Street / Night Market
Angkor Archaeological Park — full temple day
Angkor / Siem Reap
Hire a tuk-tuk driver for the day (~£15-18 for the small circuit; agree the price the night before) and start at 5am for sunrise at Angkor Wat. Then explore Angkor Wat's galleries and libraries, enter Angkor Thom via the South Gate with its colossal faces, and visit Bayon, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King. Finish at jungle-swamped Ta Prohm. Bring 2L of water, sun protection and cash for the £30 day pass.
🚌Private tuk-tuk driver for the day ~£15-18
🛏Same Siem Reap guesthouse
- →Sunrise at Angkor Wat
- →Angkor Wat galleries, libraries and courtyards
- →South Gate of Angkor Thom and Bayon's face towers
- →Phimeanakas, Elephant Terrace, Terrace of the Leper King
- →Ta Prohm jungle temple
Tonle Sap floating villages and a silk farm
Tonle Sap / Siem Reap
Book a shared half-day Tonle Sap tour (~£15-20 incl. boat) or take a tuk-tuk to Chong Kneas or Kompong Phluk (~£10 return) and buy the boat ticket locally (~£8-10). Drift past floating schools, stilted houses and fish traps. In the afternoon cycle or tuk-tuk to Artisans Angkor / the Silk Farm (~£4 entry, free if you buy something) to see silkworm breeding, reeling, natural dyeing and looming. Swing past Western Baray on the way back and eat fish amok for dinner.
🚌Shared tour or tuk-tuk ~£10-12
🛏Same Siem Reap guesthouse
- →Wooden boat cruise on Tonle Sap Lake
- →Floating village with stilt houses and fish traps
- →Silk farm: silkworms, dyeing and weaving
- →Western Baray stop
Siem Reap departure
Siem Reap
Slow breakfast, then browse the Old Market and Psar Chas for silk, spices and souvenirs before a tuk-tuk to Siem Reap International Airport (~£5, 20 minutes). If you have a late flight, add a Khmer cooking class or the Angkor National Museum (~£7).
🚌Tuk-tuk to REP airport ~£5
🛏None (departure day)
- →Old Market souvenir shopping
- →Optional Khmer cooking class or Angkor National Museum
Self-launched vs. Responsible Asia
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Responsible Asia | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£565 | £1,145 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £580 per person (51%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Responsible Asia-style trips? Check them out here.~£565
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 & Cambodia Thorough in 10 Days — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £565 per person for 10 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 Responsible Asia?+
Yes — Responsible Asia charges around £1,145 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £565 — a saving of roughly £580 (51%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 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, adventure, 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?
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