Self-Launched Vietnam & Cambodia: Angkor, Phnom Penh, Saigon, Halong Bay & Hanoi
12 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
VietLong Travel charges £1,010
No-markup version: ~£798 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 12-day DIY version of VietLong Travel's Siem Reap-to-Hanoi group tour. You'll temple-hop Angkor by tuk-tuk, overnight in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh guesthouses, cross into Vietnam by public bus, then cover Saigon, the Cu Chi Tunnels, an overnight Halong Bay cruise and Hanoi's Old Quarter — all booked independently via hostels, GetYourGuide/Klook and local transport. Budget figures are realistic backpacker/mid-range estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Siem Reap — Khmer welcome
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Land at Siem Reap International (REP) and take a $5 (about £4) tuk-tuk or the $8 airport shuttle to your guesthouse near Pub Street or Wat Bo. Spend the afternoon settling in and wandering the Old Market. Book your Angkor pass online in advance (1-day pass US$37, 3-day US$62) — you can buy the 3-day pass and use it across Days 2 and 3. Evening: eat fish amok and lok lak at a Khmer BBQ spot on Sok San Road (£5–7) and do a short tuk-tuk loop of the night market.
🚌Airport tuk-tuk ~£4; all local movement by tuk-tuk £1–3
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse/hostel dorm or private room (e.g. Mad Monkey, Onederz) — £10–16/night
- →Old Market browse
- →Pub Street / Sok San Road dinner
- →Buy Angkor pass online
Angkor Wat sunrise, Angkor Thom & Ta Prohm
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Do the classic small circuit. Agree a full-day tuk-tuk with your driver the night before (£15–18 for the day, split between travellers or solo). Start at 5am for sunrise at Angkor Wat's reflecting pool, then walk Angkor Thom — South Gate, Bayon's faces, Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, Elephants Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King — then Ta Prohm's tree-swallowed ruins. Optionally finish at Bakheng Hill for sunset (limited to 300 people, arrive by 4pm). A licensed guide is optional; a GetYourGuide small-group Angkor day tour costs around £20–28 if you'd rather join others. Take water and a sarong for temple etiquette.
🚌Full-day tuk-tuk £15–18 total (~£8 each if shared)
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse — £10–16/night
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Angkor Thom & Bayon Temple
- →Ta Prohm
- →Bakheng Hill sunset (optional)
- →3-day Angkor pass US$62
Tonle Sap floating villages & free afternoon
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Half-day trip to Tonle Sap lake to see the floating villages of Kompong Khleang or Kompong Phluk — book direct with a local operator or a GetYourGuide half-day tour for around £18–25 (includes boat and transfer). Return by early afternoon: use the rest of the day for the Angkor National Museum (£10), a Khmer cooking class (~£20) or simply recover by the pool. Buy your Phnom Penh bus ticket today from a travel agent or 12Go Asia.
🚌Shared minivan to Tonle Sap included in tour; local tuk-tuks £2–3
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse — £10–16/night
- →Kompong Khleang floating village boat trip
- →Angkor National Museum (optional)
- →Khmer cooking class (optional)
Public bus to Phnom Penh — Royal Palace & riverfront
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Take a Giant Ibis or Virak Buntham VIP bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh — roughly 6 hours, £10–13, bookable on 12Go Asia or direct. Buses leave from 7:30am. Check into a riverside or Street 240 guesthouse, then walk the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (US$10, open until 5pm, shoulders/knees covered), watch sunset on the Sisowath Quay riverfront and eat dinner at a cheap local place near the Night Market. If you want the darker history, Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields fit a spare morning.
🚌Siem Reap–Phnom Penh VIP bus ~£11
🛏Phnom Penh guesthouse/hostel near the riverfront — £10–16/night
- →Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda (£8)
- →Sisowath Quay sunset walk
- →Night Market dinner
Cross the border to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Two good options: the cheap, scenic way is a direct Phnom Penh–Saigon bus (Giant Ibis or Kumho Samco), roughly 6–7 hours including border formalities, £14–17, bookable on 12Go Asia. Fastest is a low-cost flight with VietJet or Cambodia Angkor Air from £45–70. Either way you arrive in District 1 by afternoon — check in, then walk Dong Khoi and the Notre Dame Cathedral/Basilica area, and have your first bowl of pho (£1.50–2.50) and a bia hoi. Sort your e-visa for Vietnam (US$25) before travel.
🚌PP–Saigon bus ~£15 (or flight £45–70); Grab in city £1–3
🛏HCMC hostel or budget hotel in District 1 (e.g. Vietnam Inn Saigon, The Common Room) — £10–18/night
- →Border crossing
- →Dong Khoi & Notre Dame area walk
- →Pho dinner in District 1
Cu Chi Tunnels + Saigon city highlights
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Book a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour on Klook or GetYourGuide — around £16–22 including Ben Duoc/Ben Dinh entrance, minibus and guide (morning departure, back by early afternoon). Many tours bundle the tunnels with the War Remnants Museum; doing it independently works too. In the afternoon, do the War Remnants Museum (£1.50), Reunification Palace (£1.50), the Jade Emperor Pagoda (free, donation) and Ben Thanh Market for coffee and souvenirs. A French Quarter stroll finishes the day; dinner at a District 3 street-food stall for £3–5.
🚌Tour minibus included; Grab rides £1–3 each
🛏HCMC hostel/budget hotel — £10–18/night
- →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Reunification Palace
- →Jade Emperor Pagoda
- →Ben Thanh Market
Fly to Hanoi — Old Quarter & water puppets
Hanoi, Vietnam
Take a morning low-cost flight Saigon–Hanoi with VietJet or Bamboo Airways (£30–55, book on Klook or the airline site; the operator's tour excluded this flight too). Land, take the £1.50 bus 86 or a £10 Grab to the Old Quarter, and check into a hostel or hotel around Ma May or Hang Bac. Book water puppet theatre tickets at the Thang Long Theatre (US$5–8, evening shows — arrive 30 minutes early). Spend the evening exploring the 36 streets and eating bun cha or banh mi for under £4.
🚌Flight Saigon–Hanoi £30–55; airport bus ~£1.50
🛏Hanoi Old Quarter hostel/budget hotel — £10–18/night
- →Flight to Hanoi
- →Thang Long Water Puppet Show
- →Old Quarter 36 Streets wander
Halong Bay overnight cruise — Day 1
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Book a budget overnight cruise directly or via Klook/GetYourGuide — 2D/1N, roughly £85–120 all-in with transfers, meals, kayaking and cabin (check the boat is on the official licensed list; mid-range boats like those in Lan Ha Bay are less crowded). Shuttle bus picks up from the Old Quarter around 8am, 3.5 hours to the harbour. Board with a welcome drink and safety briefing, lunch on deck, then a bamboo boat or kayak through Luon Cave, swimming or a short hike on Titov Island, sunset happy hour and a cooking demo on the sundeck. Squid fishing gear is at reception after dinner.
🚌Shuttle bus Hanoi–Halong return included in cruise package
🛏Halong / Lan Ha Bay budget-mid cruise cabin (twin share) — included in cruise package
- →Luon Cave bamboo boat or kayak
- →Titov Island swim/hike
- →Sunset party
- →Vietnamese cooking class on sundeck
- →Squid fishing
Sung Sot Cave — back to Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam
Start with a tai chi session on the sundeck, then a light breakfast before visiting Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave — go early to beat the crowds. Brunch on board, disembark around 11am, and shuttle back to Hanoi for 3–4pm. Check back into a hostel in the Old Quarter. Evening: pick a street-food tour if you fancy it — a self-guided version costs about £8–10 for a night of banh cuon, bun cha and egg coffee; a GetYourGuide small-group street-food tour is around £25–30.
🚌Shuttle back to Hanoi included; local walk
🛏Hanoi Old Quarter hostel/budget hotel — £10–18/night
- →Tai chi on sundeck
- →Sung Sot Cave
- →Old Quarter street-food self-guided crawl
Hanoi highlight walk: Ho Chi Minh complex & Temple of Literature
Hanoi, Vietnam
Self-guided walking day. Start at Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (free, closed Mondays and Fridays, mornings only — dress respectfully), then his stilt house and the One Pillar Pagoda (both free/£1). Walk 20 minutes to the Temple of Literature (£1.50). Lunch at a bun cha stall near Hang Manh. In the afternoon loop Hoan Kiem Lake, visit Ngoc Son Temple (£1) and cross the red Huc Bridge, with a coffee stop at Cafe Giang for egg coffee. Total entrance fees under £8 — no guide needed.
🚌Walking; occasional Grab £1–2
🛏Hanoi Old Quarter hostel/budget hotel — £10–18/night
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & stilt house
- →One Pillar Pagoda
- →Temple of Literature
- →Ngoc Son Temple & Hoan Kiem Lake
- →Egg coffee at Cafe Giang
Day trip to Ninh Binh: Hoa Lu & Tam Coc
Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Take the cheap and easy route: a Klook/GetYourGuide day tour to Hoa Lu and Tam Coc runs £25–32 with seat-in-coach transport, or go DIY on the train (Hanoi–Ninh Binh ~£3, 2 hours) plus a local taxi to Tam Coc (£4) and boat ticket (£8). Either way, cycle the rice paddies, take the rowing boat through Tam Coc's three caves, and climb Hang Mua's 500 steps for the viewpoint (£4) if the light is good. Return to Hanoi in the evening for a last bowl of pho.
🚌Tour coach or train ~£3 + shared taxi £4
🛏Hanoi Old Quarter hostel/budget hotel — £10–18/night
- →Hoa Lu ancient capital
- →Tam Coc rowing boat through three caves
- →Cycling the paddy fields
- →Hang Mua viewpoint (optional)
Depart Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam
Last morning in the Old Quarter — Dong Xuan Market for gifts, a final egg coffee, then bus 86 (£1.50) or a Grab (£10) to Noi Bai Airport for your flight home. If you have a late flight, drop bags at the hostel and do a short Hoan Kiem loop or a £10 massage.
🚌Airport bus £1.50 or Grab £10
🛏—
- →Dong Xuan Market
- →Hoan Kiem Lake farewell walk
Self-launched vs. VietLong Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | VietLong Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£798 | £1,010 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £212 per person (21%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more VietLong Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£798
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 Self-Launched Vietnam & Cambodia: Angkor, Phnom Penh, Saigon, Halong Bay & Hanoi cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £798 per person for 12 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 VietLong Travel?+
Yes — VietLong Travel charges around £1,010 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £798 — a saving of roughly £212 (21%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 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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