Classic Vietnam & Mekong River Adventure — Self-Launched
17 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
G Adventures charges £2,400
No-markup version: ~£1,140 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' Classic Vietnam & Mekong River Adventure, running 17 days from Hanoi to Siem Reap. Cruise Halong Bay by junk boat, ride the Reunification Express to Hue, explore the Imperial Citadel and My Son ruins, chill in Hoi An, then cross into Cambodia for Phnom Penh's sobering history and the temples of Angkor. Same route, same experiences — booked independently at backpacker prices.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam
Land at Noi Bai Airport and take the public bus 86 (~£1.20) or a Grab (~£4) into the Old Town. Check into a hostel dorm around Hoan Kiem Lake (~£8-12/night). Spend the afternoon wandering the 36 Streets, grab a bia hoi on Ta Hien corner (~£0.40), and eat bun cha (Obama's bun cha at Huong Lien, ~£2). Optional: Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake, free entry, ~£1 by Grab.
🚌Airport bus 86 or Grab (~£1.20-4)
🛏Hostel dorm, Old Town (~£10)
- →Old Quarter wander
- →Hoan Kiem Lake
- →Bia hoi corner
- →Optional: Tran Quoc Pagoda
Halong Bay cruise by junk boat
Halong Bay
Book a 2-day/1-night group junk boat tour online (GetYourGuide/Klook from ~£75-95, or budget backpacker boats from ~£55 booked in Hanoi). Shared minibus transfer from the Old Town (~3.5 hrs). Cruise past karst islands, visit Sung Sot cave, kayak and swim, and enjoy the included seafood lunch and dinner. Sunset on the top deck is the highlight.
🚌Shared minibus included in cruise (~3.5 hrs)
🛏Junk boat cabin (included in tour)
- →Sung Sot Cave
- →Kayaking
- →Sunset on deck
Return to Hanoi, overnight train to Hue
Hanoi → Hue
Breakfast and lunch on board, then sail back to port and transfer to Hanoi by late afternoon. Store bags and grab dinner in the Old Town, then board the Reunification Express (SE trains) south — soft-sleeper berth ~£22-30. Book on the Vietnam Railways site or via Baolau/12Go. Berths are 4-berth; a sleeper bus is the cheaper alternative (~£15).
🚌Reunification Express sleeper, Hanoi–Hue (~£25)
🛏Overnight train soft-sleeper berth
- →Hanoi evening
- →Overnight train
Hue — Imperial Citadel and Royal Tombs
Hue, Vietnam
Arrive early morning and check in near the Citadel (~£12 dorm). Walk or cycle to the Imperial Citadel (UNESCO, entry ~£6). Hire a motorbike tour with a local rider (~£15-20 for a half-day) to reach the Royal Tomb of Khai Dinh, Tu Duc, and Thien Mu Pagoda. Evening: bun bo Hue by the river (~£2).
🚌Walking/cycling + guided motorbike (~£18)
🛏Guesthouse dorm, Hue (~£12)
- →Imperial Citadel tour
- →Royal Tombs
- →Thien Mu Pagoda
- →Optional: motorbike tour
Hue → Hoi An over the Hai Van Pass
Hoi An, Vietnam
Take a shared minibus or the local bus along the coast via the Hai Van Pass, with a stop at Lang Co beach (~£8-12, 3-4 hrs). Alternatively book an Easy Rider motorbike transfer for the classic Top Gear route (~£35). Settle into Hoi An Old Town hostels (~£10-14). Evening: lantern-lit streets and cao lau noodles (~£2).
🚌Shared minibus/bus over Hai Van Pass (~£10)
🛏Hostel dorm, Hoi An (~£12)
- →Hai Van Pass
- →Lang Co beach
- →Old Town at night
Hoi An — cooking class and Old Town
Hoi An, Vietnam
Morning cooking class at a local market-led school (self-bookable via Klook/GetYourGuide ~£20-28) — market tour, boat ride, and hands-on noodle making. Afternoon self-guided Old Town walking loop: Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese assembly halls, ancestral homes (combined ticket ~£6). Rent a bike to An Bang beach (~£1).
🚌Bicycle rental (~£1)
🛏Hostel dorm, Hoi An (~£12)
- →Cooking class
- →Old Town walking tour
- →An Bang beach
- →Tailor visit
Hoi An — My Son ruins and free day
Hoi An, Vietnam
Early group minibus to the My Son Sanctuary (UNESCO Cham ruins, entry + transport ~£12-15, ~1.5 hrs each way). Return for tailor fittings, riverside cafes, or a basket-boat ride in Cam Thanh. Optional sunset riverboat trip on the Thu Bon.
🚌Shared minibus to My Son (~£12)
🛏Hostel dorm, Hoi An (~£12)
- →My Son Sanctuary
- →Cam Thanh basket boat
- →Riverboat sunset
Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Fly Hoi An (Da Nang airport) to Saigon with VietJet/Bamboo (~£35-55 booked ahead). Or, budget option, overnight sleeper bus (~£18, 18 hrs). Check into a Pham Ngu Lao hostel (~£8-11). Evening on Bui Vien walking street, banh mi dinner (~£1.50).
🚌Domestic flight Da Nang–SGN (~£45)
🛏Hostel dorm, Pham Ngu Lao (~£10)
- →Bui Vien street
- →Banh mi dinner
Ho Chi Minh City — Cu Chi Tunnels and war history
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Morning half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour (GetYourGuide/Klook ~£12-18 incl. entry and transport). Afternoon at the War Remnants Museum (~£2) and Reunification Palace (~£2). Eat com tam or a cheap pho bowl (~£2).
🚌Shared minibus to Cu Chi
🛏Hostel dorm, Pham Ngu Lao (~£10)
- →Cu Chi Tunnels
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Reunification Palace
Mekong Delta — My Tho and Ben Tre
Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Book a 2-day Mekong Delta group tour from Saigon (~£40-50 incl. transport, meals, homestay). Cruise the canals by sampan, visit coconut candy workshops, bee farms, and fruit orchards, and overnight in a local homestay. This is the land-based equivalent of the riverboat's Mekong stretch.
🚌Shared minibus + sampan included
🛏Mekong homestay (included)
- →Canal sampan ride
- →Coconut workshops
- →Homestay dinner
Mekong Delta → Chau Doc
Chau Doc, Vietnam
Continue deeper into the delta toward the Cambodian border. Visit a fish farm and Cham village, then overnight in Chau Doc (~£10 guesthouse). Many travellers link to a boat across the border to Phnom Penh here.
🚌Local bus/boat within delta (~£8)
🛏Guesthouse, Chau Doc (~£10)
- →Fish farm
- →Cham village
- →Sam Mountain sunset
Chau Doc → Phnom Penh by river
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Take the speedboat or express boat from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh (~£20-28, 4-5 hrs) — Cambodian e-visa needed (~£28, apply online in advance). Check into a riverside or 172 St hostel (~£8-12). Evening at the Royal Palace gardens and the night market on the riverside.
🚌Chau Doc–Phnom Penh speedboat (~£24)
🛏Hostel dorm, Phnom Penh (~£10)
- →Border crossing
- →Riverside night market
Phnom Penh — cyclo tour and history
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Take a cyclos (pedicab) tour through the colonial streets from Wat Phnom past the post office and Royal Palace (~£8-12 for a couple of hours, negotiate directly). Visit the National Museum (~£6). Evening: fish amok dinner (~£3) and a sunset drink at a rooftop bar over the river.
🚌Cyclo tour (~£10)
🛏Hostel dorm, Phnom Penh (~£10)
- →Cyclo tour
- →Wat Phnom
- →National Museum
- →Royal Palace exterior
Phnom Penh — Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Grab a tuk-tuk (~£10 round trip) to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields (entry ~£5 incl. audio guide) and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum S-21 (~£4). Both sites are deeply moving; go slowly. Self-guided audio tours are excellent and match what guided groups hear.
🚌Tuk-tuk (~£10)
🛏Hostel dorm, Phnom Penh (~£10)
- →Choeung Ek Killing Fields
- →Tuol Sleng S-21 Museum
Phnom Penh → Siem Reap
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Bus to Siem Reap with Giant Ibis or Mekong Express (~£12-16, 6-7 hrs), or a faster flight (~£50). Check into a Siem Reap hostel (~£8-12). Evening on Pub Street or the quieter Sok San Road. Sort an Angkor tuk-tuk driver for the next two days (~£15-18/day).
🚌Giant Ibis bus Phnom Penh–Siem Reap (~£14)
🛏Hostel dorm, Siem Reap (~£10)
- →Bus journey
- →Pub Street
Angkor Wat and the small circuit
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Buy a 1-day Angkor pass (~£30) and start pre-dawn for sunrise over Angkor Wat. Tuk-tuk the small circuit: Bayon's faces, Ta Prohm (Tomb Raider temple), and Angkor Thom. Either self-cycle the circuit (~£2 bike hire) or, like the tour groups, hire a local guide (~£25/day) — your call.
🚌Tuk-tuk hire (~£16)
🛏Hostel dorm, Siem Reap (~£10)
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Bayon
- →Ta Prohm
- →Angkor Thom
Banteay Srei, floating village, and departure
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Optional early run to Banteay Srei's pink sandstone carvings (~£18 with tuk-tuk) or Tonle Sap floating village at Kompong Khleang (~£20). Last market-shopping afternoon, then onward flight from Siem Reap airport or bus to Bangkok/Phnom Penh. Trip ends here.
🚌Tuk-tuk + departure transfer (~£20)
🛏—
- →Banteay Srei
- →Tonle Sap floating village
- →Old Market
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,140 | £2,400 |
| Duration | 17 days | 17 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,260 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,140
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 Classic Vietnam & Mekong River Adventure — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,140 per person for 17 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 £2,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,140 — a saving of roughly £1,260 (53%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 17 days, covering 17 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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