Southeast Asia Discovery: Self-Launched Vietnam & Cambodia (21 Days)
21 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
Legend Travel Group charges £2,050
No-markup version: ~£1,495 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Legend Travel Group's 21-day Hanoi-to-Siem-Reap itinerary — same route, same headline sights, booked by you on local buses, trains, budget cruises and hostels. You cover Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, Phnom Penh, Tonle Sap and Angkor. Note the operator's quoted $1,942 + $699 "internal airfare and guide fee" works out around £2,000+ per person; doing it yourself with backpacker-grade stays, sleeper trains/buses and locally booked day tours lands far lower. All figures are rough backpacker estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi, Vietnam
Fly into Noi Bai (HAN). Take the Vietjet/Grab or airport bus 86 (about £1.20) into the Old Quarter — do not take a taxi tout. Check into a hostel dorm or private budget room near Hoan Kiem Lake. Evening walk around the lake and a first bowl of bun cha or pho for around £2.
🚌Airport bus 86 ~£1.20, or Grab ~£7
🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (e.g. May De Ville backpackers area), £8-15/night
- →Airport bus 86 into city
- →Hoan Kiem Lake evening stroll
- →Old Quarter street food wander (bun cha, pho)
Hanoi to Sapa by sleeper bus
Sapa, Vietnam
Morning free in Hanoi. Afternoon overnight sleeper bus from Hanoi to Sapa (Sapa Express / Interbus Lines, book direct at the agency or 12Go, roughly £12-15). You arrive early morning. Alternatively take the day bus if you prefer daylight scenery of the Red River delta.
🚌Hanoi-Sapa sleeper bus ~£13
🛏Overnight on sleeper bus
- →Morning Old Quarter coffee and market
- →Overnight sleeper bus to Sapa (book on 12Go or at a Hanoi travel agency)
Sapa: Cat Cat Village and Hmong culture
Sapa, Vietnam
Arrive early, drop bags at a budget hotel in Sapa town and freshen up. Walk down to Cat Cat Village (entrance ~£2) to see Black Hmong stilt houses, weaving and embroidery and the waterfall. Afternoon free to explore Sapa market. Book tomorrow's trek with a local Hmong guide (a straightforward day-guide arrangement, ~£15-20) organised through your guesthouse.
🚌On foot
🛏Budget Sapa hotel or homestay, £12-18/night
- →Hike down to Cat Cat Village
- →Black Hmong stilt houses and weaving demonstrations
- →Cat Cat Waterfall
- →Sapa market wander
Lao Chai & Ta Van rice terrace trek, back to Hanoi
Sapa to Hanoi
Full-day guided trek through Muong Hoa Valley to Lao Chai and Ta Van villages (local Hmong/Tay guide, ~£15-20 plus small village entrance fees). Walk through terraced rice fields and have lunch with a Tay family. Late afternoon return to Lao Cai and catch the overnight sleeper train (soft sleeper, ~£18-25 booked on 12Go or at the station) back to Hanoi.
🚌Trek guide ~£18; Lao Cai-Hanoi sleeper train ~£20
🛏Overnight on soft-sleeper train
- →Trek Sapa-Lao Chai-Ta Van
- →Rice terrace walk in Muong Hoa Valley
- →Tay village lunch
- →Overnight sleeper train to Hanoi
Hanoi city highlights on foot
Hanoi, Vietnam
Arrive early morning, check back into your Hanoi hostel. Self-guided walking loop: Tran Quoc Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex (free, closed Mon/Fri afternoons, get there before 10:30), One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature (~£1.50) and Hoa Lo Prison (~£1.50). Afternoon at the Vietnam Ethnology Museum (closed Monday) or the Vietnamese Women's Museum. Optional cheap cyclo ride around the Old Quarter.
🚌Walking plus occasional Grab bike ~£5 total
🛏Old Quarter hostel or budget guesthouse, £8-15/night
- →Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex
- →One Pillar Pagoda
- →Temple of Literature
- →Hoa Lo Prison
- →Vietnam Ethnology Museum or Women's Museum
Ninh Binh day trip (Tam Coc & Mua Cave)
Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Book a Ninh Binh day tour on GetYourGuide or Klook (~£30-35 including lunch and transfers), or do it independently: train or bus to Ninh Binh (~£4) then a bicycle and boat ticket at Tam Coc (~£10) and Mua Cave entrance (~£2). Expect sampan rowers on the Ngo Dong River through limestone karsts, lotus fields and a 500-step climb up Mua Cave for the viewpoint.
🚌Ninh Binh day tour or train/bus ~£4 each way
🛏Old Quarter hostel or budget guesthouse, £8-15/night
- →Hoa Lu ancient capital temples
- →Tam Coc boat trip on Ngo Dong River
- →Mua Cave 500-step climb
- →Ninh Binh karst countryside by bike
Halong Bay overnight cruise
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Book a 2-day/1-night Halong Bay junk cruise through Klook or GetYourGuide (budget boats £75-110 all-in with meals and shuttle from Hanoi) — these are the same style boats operators use. Cruise among the limestone islets, kayak, swim and visit a cave, then sleep on deck or in your cabin.
🚌Shared shuttle from Hanoi included in cruise
🛏Overnight on a budget cruise junk, included in cruise price
- →Halong Bay junk boat cruise
- →Kayaking and swimming
- →Cave visit (e.g. Sung Sot or Amazing Cave)
- →Sunset on the top deck
Halong Bay sunrise, boat back to Hanoi
Halong Bay to Hanoi
Sunrise on the bay, early tai chi on deck if offered, then cruise back with a floating fishing village stop. Shuttle returns you to Hanoi mid-afternoon. Night train from Hanoi to Da Nang (soft sleeper, ~£30-40, book early on 12Go — the soft sleeper is a big comfort upgrade on the hard-sleeper option).
🚌Hanoi-Da Nang soft sleeper train ~£35
🛏Overnight on the Reunification Express (soft sleeper)
- →Sunrise on Halong Bay
- →Floating fishing village stop
- →Hanoi to Da Nang overnight sleeper train
Arrive Hoi An — Old Town by lantern light
Hoi An, Vietnam
Arrive Da Nang early morning, take a local bus or Grab to Hoi An (~£3-5). Check into a budget hotel or homestay in the Old Town area. Rest, then spend the evening wandering the lantern-lit Old Town, browsing markets and eating cao lau and white rose dumplings. Old Town entrance ticket ~£4 covers several heritage houses.
🚌Da Nang-Hoi An bus/Grab ~£4
🛏Hoi An budget hotel or homestay, £12-20/night
- →Da Nang to Hoi An
- →Hoi An Old Town evening wander
- →Local markets
- →Cao lau and white rose dumplings
Hoi An heritage & Kim Bong boat trip
Hoi An, Vietnam
Self-guided Old Town day with your heritage ticket: Japanese Covered Bridge, Assembly Halls, Sa Huynh Museum and old merchant houses. Mid-afternoon take a small wooden boat across the Thu Bon River to Kim Bong carpentry village (~£3-5 for the crossing or a boat tour). Evening: optional lantern-making class (~£5) or tailoring (cheap but budget for it).
🚌Walking and small boat ~£5
🛏Hoi An budget hotel or homestay, £12-20/night
- →Japanese Covered Bridge
- →Sa Huynh Museum
- →Chinese Assembly Halls
- →Boat to Kim Bong village
- →Optional lantern-making workshop
My Son Sanctuary with local guide
My Son, Vietnam
Book a My Son sunrise tour on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£18-25) or arrange a shared minibus through your homestay (~£8 transport plus ~£5 entrance). Explore the Cham temple ruins in the jungle and get the Hindu mythology context from a local guide. Back in Hoi An by early afternoon for the beach or a bicycle ride to An Bang.
🚌Shared minibus to My Son ~£8-10
🛏Hoi An budget hotel or homestay, £12-20/night
- →My Son Sanctuary Cham ruins
- →Local guide on Cham history
- →Afternoon at An Bang Beach by bicycle
Hoi An to Hue over the Hai Van Pass
Hue, Vietnam
Take the local bus or a shared minibus via Da Nang, stopping at the Cham Museum (~£1.50) and the Marble Mountains (~£2). The Hai Van Pass route is best done by open-tour bus or a Grab/hired motorbike with easy rider. Break at Lang Co Beach for lunch. Evening arrive in Hue; check into a guesthouse near the Citadel, £12-18/night.
🚌Hoi An-Hue open tour bus ~£8
🛏Hue budget guesthouse or hotel, £12-18/night
- →Cham Museum, Da Nang
- →Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son)
- →Hai Van Pass coastal drive
- →Lang Co Beach stop
Hue Imperial Citadel, tombs and Perfume River
Hue, Vietnam
Half-day tour of Khai Dinh and Tu Duc tombs plus Thien Mu Pagoda by hired car with driver or a booked small-group tour (~£20-30). Do the Imperial Citadel independently (~£6 ticket) and walk the Thuy Xuan incense village and Dong Ba market. A Perfume River boat to Thien Mu is ~£3-5.
🚌Private car with driver half day ~£25 split
🛏Hue budget guesthouse or hotel, £12-18/night
- →Perfume River boat to Thien Mu Pagoda
- →Khai Dinh and Tu Duc mausoleums
- →Imperial Citadel and Purple Forbidden City
- →Thuy Xuan incense village
- →Dong Ba market
Hue to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Fly Hue to Saigon with VietJet or Bamboo (~£35-50 if booked a few weeks ahead) — the train is 20+ hours so most budget travellers fly this leg. Afternoon settle into a District 1 hostel. Evening wander Bui Vien walking street and eat at a local com ga or banh mi spot.
🚌Hue-Saigon flight ~£40 (or train ~£25 but 20hrs)
🛏District 1 hostel dorm or budget hotel, £8-16/night
- →Fly Hue to Ho Chi Minh City
- →Bui Vien walking street evening
- →Banh mi and street food dinner
Cu Chi Tunnels & Saigon landmarks
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Book a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£20-25 with transport and guide, or take local bus 13 + 79 for ~£2 and pay ~£5 entrance). Afternoon self-guided walk of Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior), Central Post Office and Reunification Palace (~£2.50). Optional War Remnants Museum (~£2).
🚌Cu Chi tour transport included, ~£22
🛏District 1 hostel dorm or budget hotel, £8-16/night
- →Cu Chi Tunnels tour
- →Notre Dame Cathedral
- →Central Post Office
- →Reunification Palace
- →Optional War Remnants Museum
Mekong Delta day trip (My Tho / Ben Tre)
Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Book a Mekong Delta small-group day tour (~£25-35 with lunch, boat rides and hotel pickup) or go DIY: bus from Mien Tay station to My Tho (~£2), then hire a local boat to the coconut-candy and honey islands (~£8). Includes a rowboat ride through palm canals and a stop at Vinh Trang Pagoda.
🚌Mekong day tour with pickup ~£30
🛏District 1 hostel dorm or budget hotel, £8-16/night
- →Mekong River boat trip
- →Coconut and honey handicraft islands
- →Vinh Trang Pagoda
- →Rowboat through palm canals
Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh by bus
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Take a direct bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh (Giant Ibis or Mekong Express, ~£12-15, about 6 hours with the Moc Bai/Bavet border crossing). Budget an extra $30-35 for the Cambodian e-visa if you haven't got one online. Afternoon arrive in Phnom Penh, settle into a riverside guesthouse and explore the promenade at sunset.
🚌Saigon-Phnom Penh bus ~£13
🛏Phnom Penh guesthouse or hostel, £10-18/night
- →Saigon to Phnom Penh bus
- →Border crossing at Moc Bai/Bavet
- →Riverside sunset walk
Phnom Penh: Royal Palace & sunset cruise
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Self-guided morning: Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (~£8), National Museum (~£4), Independence Monument and Wat Phnom. Afternoon wander Phsar Thmey (Central Market). Evening Mekong sunset cruise (~£6-10, book at the riverfront). Optional: Tuol Sleng or Choeung Ek if you want the darker history — allow half a day more.
🚌Tuk-tuks around the city ~£6 total
🛏Phnom Penh guesthouse or hostel, £10-18/night
- →Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
- →National Museum
- →Independence Monument and Wat Phnom
- →Central Market
- →Mekong sunset cruise
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap via Tonle Sap
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Take the Giant Ibis or Virak Buntham bus Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (~£12, 6 hours) or, in the wet season, the faster boat up the Tonle Sap with a floating village stop (~£25-30). Arrive in Siem Reap, check into a guesthouse near Pub Street, and buy your Angkor pass in the evening (1-day £28, 3-day £45).
🚌Phnom Penh-Siem Reap bus ~£12, or boat ~£28
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse or hostel, £8-15/night
- →Bus or Tonle Sap boat to Siem Reap
- →Floating fishing village (boat option)
- →Angkor pass purchase
- →Pub Street evening
Angkor Wat small circuit with local guide
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Hire a tuk-tuk driver for the day (~£12-15, split with others) or join a GetYourGuide small-group tour (~£20-30 with licensed guide and Angkor pass not included). Hit Angkor Wat for sunrise, then Angkor Thom, Bayon's faces, the Terraces of the Elephants and Leper King, Baphuon and Ta Prohm's tree roots. Bring water — it's hot.
🚌Tuk-tuk driver full day ~£14 (Angkor pass £28 extra)
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse or hostel, £8-15/night
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple
- →Terrace of the Elephants and Leper King
- →Baphuon
- →Ta Prohm (Tomb Raider temple)
Siem Reap departure
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Souvenir shopping at the Old Market and a last Khmer iced coffee. Tuk-tuk to Siem Reap International Airport (~£6-8) or a $2 airport shuttle if you're on a tight budget. If your flight is later in the day, consider a morning trip to the Roluos group or a cheap Khmer cooking class.
🚌Tuk-tuk to REP airport ~£7
🛏—
- →Old Market souvenir shopping
- →Optional cooking class or Roluos temples
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Legend Travel Group
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Legend Travel Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,495 | £2,050 |
| Duration | 21 days | 21 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £555 per person (27%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Legend Travel Group-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,495
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 Southeast Asia Discovery: Self-Launched Vietnam & Cambodia (21 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,495 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 Legend Travel Group?+
Yes — Legend Travel Group charges around £2,050 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,495 — a saving of roughly £555 (27%) 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, hiking 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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