Saigon to Siem Reap: Vietnam & Cambodia Self-Launched Adventure
8 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
On The Go Tours charges £1,075
No-markup version: ~£332 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of On The Go Tours' 8-day Saigon to Siem Reap group tour. You'll cover the Mekong Delta waterways, the Cu Chi Tunnels, Phnom Penh's palaces and Killing Fields memorials, and three days of Angkor temples — but booking your own guesthouses, buses and self-bookable day tours. Overland from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh by local bus (or a cheap flight), joining shared minibus tours for temples and meeting local operators directly. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP and assume dorm or basic private rooms and street/market food.
Day-by-day
Arrive Ho Chi Minh City — explore on foot
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Land at Tan Son Nhat Airport and take Grab bike or bus 109 (~£1) into District 1. Check into a hostel in the Pham Ngu Lao backpacker area. Spend the afternoon walking to Ben Thanh Market, the Independence Palace (with its secret bunker and military command centre, ~£3 entry) and the Notre Dame Cathedral / Old Post Office area. Evening: streetside pho or banh mi for dinner and a rooftop beer.
🚌Airport bus 109 or Grab bike to District 1 (~£1), walking locally
🛏Hostel dorm in Pham Ngu Lao area (~£8-12/night)
- →Walk Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 on foot
- →Ben Thanh Market
- →Independence Palace with bunker
- →Notre Dame Cathedral & Old Post Office (exterior)
Mekong Delta day trip to Can Tho
Can Tho, Vietnam
Book a Mekong Delta day trip via Klook or GetYourGuide (or directly with a District 1 travel agent) — these typically run £20-30 and include minibus transport, a sampan boat cruise on the Delta waterways, stops at coconut candy and rice-paper cottage industries, and lunch at a local homestay on Dong Hoa Hiep Island. If you'd rather overland slowly, take a local bus to My Tho (~£2) and book a boat on arrival. Travel onward to Can Tho in the late afternoon by minibus (~£5) and stay near the Ninh Kieu waterfront.
🚌Minibus Ho Chi Minh City–Can Tho (~£5); boat included in day trip
🛏Budget guesthouse in Can Tho (~£10-14/night)
- →Sampan cruise on Mekong Delta waterways
- →Cottage industry visits
- →Dong Hoa Hiep Island lunch
- →Floating market area of Can Tho
Can Tho floating market & back to Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Set your alarm for a 5:30am boat hire to the Cai Rang floating market (either the busy tourist version or the quieter Con Son Islet trip) — small boats can be shared for ~£6-8 each. See floating fish farms on the Hau River and floating bridges, and grab breakfast on the water from a floating noodle vendor. Return to Can Tho, then bus back to Ho Chi Minh City (~£5). In the afternoon do a self-guided walk of the War Remnants Museum (~£2 entry) — allow 2 hours — plus the cathedral and post office if you missed them.
🚌Shared boat (~£7), local bus Can Tho–Ho Chi Minh City (~£5)
🛏Hostel dorm in Pham Ngu Lao (~£8-12/night)
- →Sunrise boat to Cai Rang / Con Son floating market
- →Floating fish farm visit
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Street food dinner in District 1
Cu Chi Tunnels & cross into Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Book a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£18-22 including transport and entry, early morning departure recommended to beat crowds). Crawl a section of the tunnels, see trapdoors, weapon factories and kitchens, and optionally try the firing range. You're back in District 1 by early afternoon. Options to Phnom Penh: the Giant Ibis or Mekong Express overland bus leaves early afternoon and takes ~6 hours (~£12); if you're doing Cu Chi in the morning, take an evening flight instead (VND 1.5-2.5m / £50-80 with Vietjet or Cambodia Angkor Air) or do Cu Chi in Saigon and overnight then bus next morning. Arrive Phnom Penh, tuk-tuk to your guesthouse near the riverside (~£2).
🚌Cu Chi tour minibus included; overland bus to Phnom Penh (~£12) or a cheap flight (~£55)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel near Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh (~£10-16/night)
- →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour
- →Tunnel crawling and jungle trapdoors
- →Optional M16/AK47 firing range
Phnom Penh: Royal Palace, S21 and the Killing Fields
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
DIY the city's heavy hitters. Morning at the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (~£8 entry), then the National Museum of Fine Arts (~£4). In the early afternoon head to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21, ~£4) — take the excellent audio guide. Then tuk-tuk out to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek (~£4 entry, ~£4 return tuk-tuk; ask the driver to wait). It's an intense but essential day; build in a coffee break between the two genocide sites.
🚌Tuk-tuks around the city (~£6-8 total)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel near Sisowath Quay (~£10-16/night)
- →Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
- →National Museum of Fine Arts
- →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
- →Choeung Ek Killing Fields
Bus to Siem Reap & Phare Circus
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Skip the internal flight and take the direct Giant Ibis / Virak Buntham bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap — ~6 hours, ~£12-15, with a lunch stop. Arrive mid-afternoon, check into a guesthouse in the Wat Bo or Old Market area, and hire a bicycle or tuk-tuk for sunset at Angkor Wat's moat. In the evening, buy a ticket to Phare, the Cambodian Circus (from ~£12-18 depending on seat class), a great introduction to Cambodian contemporary arts.
🚌Bus (~£13), bicycle hire (~£2/day) or tuk-tuk
🛏Guesthouse in Wat Bo / Old Market area (~£10-16/night)
- →Overland bus Phnom Penh–Siem Reap
- →Sunset at Angkor moat
- →Phare Cambodian Circus show
Small circuit temples & Tonle Sap floating village
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Hire a tuk-tuk driver for the day (~£20-25 shared, or split with fellow travellers; alternatively a shared minibus tour via GetYourGuide for ~£15-18 per person). Cover Angkor Thom, the Bayon's smiling faces, Baphuon, the royal enclosure, the Terraces of the Elephants and Leper King, and finish at Ta Prohm's tree-strangling ruins. Buy the Angkor pass directly at the ticket office (~£28 for 1-day, ~£48 for 3-day — 3-day is worth it if you're staying longer). In the late afternoon head to Kampong Phluk stilted village on Tonle Sap Lake for a shared boat trip (~£12). Optional: pre-book an Angkor Wat sunrise tour for tomorrow (~£10-15).
🚌Tuk-tuk day hire (~£20-25) or shared minibus tour (~£15-18)
🛏Guesthouse in Siem Reap (~£10-16/night)
- →Angkor Thom & Bayon Temple
- →Baphuon and Terraces of the Elephants
- →Ta Prohm
- →Kampong Phluk floating village boat trip
Angkor Wat sunrise & departure
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Book a sunrise tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat (~£8-10 return) to watch the temple silhouette reflected in the lily ponds. Explore the main temple's galleries and bas-reliefs, then optionally continue to Banteay Srei (the 'Citadel of Women', 40 mins by tuk-tuk, ~£15 return) if you want one more temple before your flight. Many travellers instead support a local tree-planting initiative — responsible tourism NGOs in Siem Reap run half-day community projects for volunteer-minded visitors. Return to the guesthouse, shower, and head to Siem Reap airport for your onward flight.
🚌Sunrise tuk-tuk (~£9), tuk-tuk to airport (~£4)
🛏Not included — onward travel day
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Angkor Wat galleries and bas-reliefs
- →Optional Banteay Srei temple
- →Optional community/tree-planting project
Self-launched vs. On The Go Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | On The Go Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£332 | £1,075 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £743 per person (69%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more On The Go Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£332
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 Saigon to Siem Reap: Vietnam & Cambodia Self-Launched Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £332 per person for 8 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 On The Go Tours?+
Yes — On The Go Tours charges around £1,075 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £332 — a saving of roughly £743 (69%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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, budget 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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