Vietnam + Cambodia Self-Launched: Hanoi to Siem Reap in 21 Days
21 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
INTRO Travel charges £2,210
No-markup version: ~£858 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of INTRO Travel's 21-day Vietnam + Cambodia group tour — same route from Hanoi down to the Mekong, across the Cambodian border to Phnom Penh, Kampot, Koh Rong Sanloem and Siem Reap, but booked independently at backpacker prices. You'll use sleeper trains and open-tour buses instead of a private coach, join small-group day trips via GetYourGuide/Klook or direct with local operators for Ha Long Bay, the Cu Chi Tunnels and Angkor Wat, and sleep in hostels and family guesthouses. Costs are approximate per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai (HAN) and take the #86 express bus (£1.20) or a Grab car (~£7) into the Old Quarter. Check into a hostel dorm or private room near Ma May or Hang Bac. Spend the afternoon getting your bearings around Hoan Kiem Lake, sort a local SIM (Viettel/Vietnamobile ~£4-6 for 30 days data), and grab bia hoi and bun cha for dinner. Book your Ha Long Bay trip this evening for tomorrow.
🚌Airport bus #86 ~£1.20 or Grab ~£7
🛏Old Quarter hostel (dorm ~£7-10, private ~£14-18)
- →Hoan Kiem Lake walk
- →Local SIM card setup
- →Bia hoi corner & street food dinner
Hanoi walking & street-food day, night out
Hanoi
Self-guided walking loop: Temple of Literature (~£1.50), Hoa Lo Prison ('Hanoi Hilton', ~£1.20), the Train Street cafe strip (buy a coffee to sit trackside), Dong Xuan Market and the French Quarter. In the evening, join a small-group street food walking tour on GetYourGuide/Klook (~£18-22) or do it yourself for £6 — an egg coffee and a bowl of pho are non-negotiable. Finish on Ta Hien 'beer street'.
🚌Walking; Grab for longer hops ~£1-2
🛏Old Quarter hostel
- →Temple of Literature
- →Hoa Lo Prison
- →Train Street coffee
- →Street food tour (GetYourGuide/Klook)
Ha Long Bay overnight cruise
Ha Long Bay
Book a 2-day/1-night budget junk cruise direct with a Hanoi operator or via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£75-100 including transfers, meals, kayaking and cabin). Hotel pickup in the Old Quarter around 8am, drive to the harbour, then cruise among the limestone karsts, kayak through caves, swim off the boat and catch sunset from the top deck. Most tours include all meals; drinks are extra.
🚌Shuttle bus from Hanoi included in cruise package (~3.5 hrs each way)
🛏Overnight on a mid-range junk boat cabin (included in cruise price)
- →Ha Long Bay cruise
- →Kayaking through caves
- →Sunset on the top deck
Back to Hanoi, transfer to Ninh Binh homestay
Ninh Binh
Cruise returns to harbour mid-morning; shuttle drops you back in Hanoi around 4pm. Take a Limousine van or train south to Ninh Binh (~£5-6, 2 hrs) and check into a family homestay in Tam Coc village — these are cheap, beautiful and usually include bicycles. Dinner with the family is the highlight.
🚌Cruise shuttle back to Hanoi; limousine van Hanoi–Ninh Binh ~£5-6
🛏Tam Coc family homestay (dorm/private ~£8-14)
- →Village evening by bicycle
- →Family homestay dinner
Tam Coc by bike, Trang An boat & Hang Mua viewpoint
Ninh Binh
Cycle the rice-paddy lanes to Trang An or Tam Coc for a rowboat trip through the caves (~£7-9 for the boat, per boat shared). Ride on to Hang Mua (Dragon Mountain) and climb the ~500 steps for the classic karst panorama (~£2). Afternoon at Bich Dong pagoda. This is exactly the day the group tour does, just on your own wheels.
🚌Bicycle hire ~£1.50/day
🛏Tam Coc family homestay
- →Trang An/Tam Coc rowboat through caves
- →Hang Mua Dragon Mountain viewpoint
- →Bich Dong pagoda
- →Rice paddy cycling
Overnight train south to Hoi An
Ninh Binh → Hoi An
Slow morning, then take a short bus/taxi to Ninh Binh station and board the Reunification Express towards Da Nang (~£22-30 for a soft sleeper, 15-16 hrs). Alternatively fly from Hanoi (~£35-45) if you'd rather save a day. Arrive Da Nang next morning and take local bus #1 (~£0.60) or a Grab (~£8) to Hoi An.
🚌Reunification Express soft sleeper ~£22-30
🛏Sleeper train berth (soft sleeper ~£22-30) or Hoi An hostel if flying
- →Ninh Binh countryside morning
- →Scenic coastal train ride
Hoi An Old Town & tailoring
Hoi An
Settle into an Old Town hostel or homestay, then buy the Old Town ticket (~£4.50) covering the Japanese Bridge, assembly halls and merchant houses. Afternoon for custom tailoring — Hoi An tailors turn around a suit or dress in 24-48 hrs for £40-90. Rent a bicycle to reach An Bang or Cua Dai beach for sunset.
🚌Bicycle hire ~£1.50/day
🛏Hoi An homestay/hostel (~£9-16)
- →Hoi An Old Town ticket
- →Custom tailoring fitting
- →An Bang beach sunset
Basket boats, cooking class & lantern boats
Hoi An
Morning at Cam Thanh coconut village: ride a basket boat through the palm waterways and join a half-day Vietnamese cooking class via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£22-28, includes market visit and lunch). Evening: walk the lantern-lit streets, float a paper lantern on the Thu Bon River (~£1), and if you're there on the 14th of the lunar month catch the full-moon lantern festival.
🚌Bicycle or Grab ~£1-2
🛏Hoi An homestay/hostel
- →Cam Thanh basket boat ride
- →Vietnamese cooking class (Klook/GetYourGuide)
- →Hoi An lantern boats & night market
Lantern-making, beach day, then night bus south
Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City
Morning lantern-making workshop in Hoi An (~£6-8) or a tailor fitting collection, then a lazy afternoon at An Bang beach club. Pick up your tailoring and take an evening sleeper bus Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City (~£18-24, ~18 hrs) or a cheap domestic flight from Da Nang (~£35-45) if you'd prefer to save the day.
🚌Sleeper bus ~£18-24, or flight Da Nang–HCMC ~£35-45
🛏Sleeper bus or HCMC hostel (~£7-12)
- →Lantern-making workshop
- →An Bang beach club afternoon
Ho Chi Minh City arrival day
Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive in District 1 and check into a hostel near Bui Vien or Pham Ngu Lao. Ease in with a walk to the Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral, coffee at the Book Street, and a rooftop sunset drink. Book tomorrow's Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour (GetYourGuide/Klook ~£15-20 including transport) and a Mekong Delta day trip for Day 11/12.
🚌Walking and Grab ~£1-3
🛏District 1 hostel (~£7-12 dorm, ~£16-22 private)
- →Nguyen Hue walking street
- →Central Post Office & Book Street
- →Rooftop sunset drink
Cu Chi Tunnels & War Remnants Museum
Ho Chi Minh City
Morning Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour (~£15-20 incl. transport and guide). Afternoon: War Remnants Museum (~£1.50) — heavy but essential. Evening street food crawl around Ben Thanh night market and a night out on Bui Vien walking street.
🚌Included in Cu Chi tour; Grab locally
🛏District 1 hostel
- →Cu Chi Tunnels tour
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Ben Thanh night market & Bui Vien
Mekong Delta homestay
Mekong Delta (Ben Tre / Can Tho)
Join a small-group 2-day Mekong Delta tour via Klook/GetYourGuide or direct with a local operator (~£45-60 including transport, boat trips, meals and a night in a homestay). Float through coconut waterways, cycle village lanes, try basket weaving and honey tea, and have a home-cooked dinner with a Delta family. Ask your homestay about arranging an informal English chat with local students — it's a common and lovely extra.
🚌Minibus from HCMC included (~2 hrs)
🛏Mekong Delta homestay (included in tour price)
- →Mekong boat trips
- →Village cycling
- →Basket weaving & honey tea
- →Homestay dinner
Mekong back to HCMC — bus to Phnom Penh
Ho Chi Minh City → Phnom Penh
Return to HCMC by midday. Take an afternoon/evening international bus HCMC → Phnom Penh (~£12-16, 6-7 hrs) via the Bavet/Moc Bai border — book on 12Go or with Giant Ibis. You can get a Cambodian e-visa in advance (~£28) or a visa on arrival (~£35, US dollars cash + passport photo). Check into a guesthouse near the riverside in Phnom Penh.
🚌Giant Ibis bus HCMC–Phnom Penh ~£12-16; Cambodian visa ~£28-35
🛏Phnom Penh riverside guesthouse (~£8-15)
- →Border crossing at Bavet
- →Riverside evening walk
Phnom Penh: S21, Killing Fields & tuk-tuk tour
Phnom Penh
Hire a tuk-tuk for the day (~£15-20 for the vehicle, split with other travellers from your hostel) or join a small-group tour (~£12-16 each). Visit Tuol Sleng (S21) Genocide Museum (~£4) and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields (~£4, audio guide included). Afternoon at the Royal Palace (~£8) and the Russian Market. Evening at the riverside night market.
🚌Tuk-tuk day hire ~£15-20 (shared)
🛏Phnom Penh riverside guesthouse
- →Tuol Sleng S21 Prison
- →Choeung Ek Killing Fields
- →Royal Palace
- →Riverside night market
Bus to Kampot — river kayaking
Kampot
Morning bus or shared minivan Phnom Penh → Kampot (~£7-10, 3.5-4 hrs). Check into a riverside guesthouse or bungalow and hire a kayak for the afternoon (~£5-8) to paddle the Kampot River past the mangroves. Many operators run a free river clean-up paddle — a nice way to give something back. Sunset drinks on the riverfront.
🚌Bus/minivan PP–Kampot ~£7-10
🛏Kampot riverside guesthouse/bungalow (~£8-15)
- →Kampot River kayaking
- →Optional river clean-up paddle
- →Riverfront sunset
Pepper plantation, Khmer cooking & river cruise
Kampot
Rent a scooter (~£5-7/day) or bicycle and ride to the La Plantation pepper farm (~£2 entry, free tour) for the famous Kampot peppercorns. Back in town, do a Khmer cooking class (~£15-20) and finish with a sunset river cruise (~£5-7) to see the fireflies and the Bokor hills on dusk.
🚌Scooter hire ~£5-7
🛏Kampot riverside guesthouse
- →La Plantation pepper farm
- →Khmer cooking class
- →Sunset river cruise
Ferry to Koh Rong Sanloem
Koh Rong Sanloem
Shared minivan/tuk-tuk to Sihanoukville (~£6-8, 2 hrs), then the fast ferry to Koh Rong Sanloem (~£12-14, 45-60 mins). Book a beach bungalow or hostel dorm on Saracen Bay or M'Pai Bay — power can be limited and cash-only is common, so bring riel/USD. Afternoon swim and beach time; spot bioluminescent plankton after dark.
🚌Minivan Kampot–Sihanoukville ~£7; ferry ~£12-14
🛏Beach bungalow or hostel on Koh Rong Sanloem (~£10-20)
- →Island ferry crossing
- →Saracen Bay swim
- →Bioluminescent plankton at night
Long-tail boat & snorkelling islands
Koh Rong Sanloem
Hire a long-tail boat for a half-day island-hopping trip with snorkelling stops (~£15-20 per person shared, or direct with a local fisherman at M'Pai Bay). Snorkel the reefs off Koh Rong, visit empty beaches and a fishing village, and catch a sunset cruise back. Very laid-back island day.
🚌Long-tail boat hire (shared)
🛏Beach bungalow or hostel on Koh Rong Sanloem
- →Long-tail boat island tour
- →Snorkelling at reef spots
- →Sunset cruise
Island morning, then trek to Siem Reap
Koh Rong Sanloem → Siem Reap
Final beach breakfast and a last swim before the morning ferry back to Sihanoukville. Fly Sihanoukville → Siem Reap with AirAsia/Cambodia Angkor Air (~£45-65, 1 hr) — the overland route is 10-12 hrs, so flying is worth it. Alternative: overnight bus via Phnom Penh (~£18-22). Arrive Siem Reap and check into a guesthouse near Pub Street.
🚌Ferry ~£12-14; flight KOS–REP ~£45-65 (or overnight bus ~£20)
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse/hostel (~£8-15)
- →Last beach morning
- →Siem Reap old town evening
Tonlé Sap floating villages
Siem Reap
Half-day trip to the floating villages on Tonlé Sap lake — Kompong Khleang or Kompong Phluk are the more authentic choices (~£15-20 with boat, tuk-tuk and guide via GetYourGuide/Klook). Visit floating homes and a school, and learn how families live with the lake's dramatic seasonal rise and fall. Afternoon free: Old Market, Angkor National Museum (~£10) or a massage (~£5).
🚌Tuk-tuk included in the floating village tour
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse/hostel
- →Tonlé Sap floating village boat trip
- →Floating school visit
- →Old Market & Pub Street
Angkor Wat sunrise, hero rats & departure
Siem Reap
Pre-dawn tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat for sunrise (~£15-18 for the tuk-tuk, split; 1-day pass ~£30), then Ta Prohm (the 'Tomb Raider' temple) and Bayon. Mid-morning visit the APOPO visitor centre to meet the demining 'hero rats' (~£5). Shower, collect your bag and head to Siem Reap airport (Grab ~£5) — or extend your stay with an onward bus to Battambang, Bangkok or Laos.
🚌Tuk-tuk to temples; Grab to airport ~£5
🛏None (departure day) or book an extra night ~£8-15
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Ta Prohm & Bayon temples
- →APOPO Hero Rats centre
Self-launched vs. INTRO Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | INTRO Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£858 | £2,210 |
| Duration | 21 days | 21 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,352 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more INTRO Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£858
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 Self-Launched: Hanoi to Siem Reap in 21 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £858 per person for 21 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 INTRO Travel?+
Yes — INTRO Travel charges around £2,210 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £858 — a saving of roughly £1,352 (61%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 21 days, covering 21 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, beaches 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.
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