Classic Cambodia & Thai Islands (West Coast) — Self-Launched
16 days · Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand
G Adventures charges £1,849
No-markup version: ~£914 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 16-day independent version of G Adventures' Ho Chi Minh City–to–Bangkok route: Saigon street food and the Mekong Delta, the overland crossing to Phnom Penh for the country's hardest history, three days among the temples of Angkor, then Bangkok and a slow island hop down Thailand's Andaman coast — Ko Ngai, Ko Lanta and Ao Nang — before finishing in Bangkok. Same highlights and same pace, built from hostel/budget-hotel beds, public buses, sleeper trains and local ferries instead of a group coach and CEO. Costs are approximate backpacker-solo estimates (mid-range dorm/private-budget mix) and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Land at Tan Son Nhat (complete Vietnam's online Pre-Arrival Declaration within 3 days of arrival). Take bus 152 or 109 (~£0.50) or a Grab ride (~£4) into District 1. Check into a hostel dorm in the Pham Ngu Lao / Bui Vien area, sort a local SIM/eSIM data plan, then walk the evening food stalls. Book your Mekong Delta or Cu Chi trip tonight for tomorrow.
🚌Bus 152/109 or Grab from airport
🛏Hostel dorm, District 1 (Pham Ngu Lao) — ~£10
- →Airport bus to District 1
- →Bui Vien street food crawl
- →Book Day 2 day trip
Mekong Delta or Cu Chi Tunnels
Ho Chi Minh City / My Tho, Vietnam
Pick one full-day trip, bookable the night before via GetYourGuide, Klook or any District 1 travel agent. The Mekong Delta day tour (Ben Tre/My Tho, boat through coconut canals, candy workshop, lunch) runs ~£20-28 including transport and guide; Cu Chi Tunnels half-day is ~£15-20. Evening: Banh mi and a rooftop beer, then book tomorrow's bus to Phnom Penh online.
🚌Included in day tour / Grab
🛏Hostel dorm, District 1 — ~£10
- →Full-day Mekong Delta boat tour
- →Or Cu Chi Tunnels half-day
- →Book Phnom Penh bus ticket
Cross into Cambodia to Phnom Penh
Ho Chi Minh City → Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Take a direct HCMC–Phnom Penh express bus (Giant Ibis, Kumho Samco or Long Phung, ~£14-18, 6-7 hrs) which handles the Moc Bai/Bavet border, or a slower local bus to Bavet then onward. Cambodian visa on arrival ~$30 (£24) — bring two passport photos and USD cash, and fill in the paper e-Arrival form at the land border. Arrive Phnom Penh, check in around Riverside, then take a self-hired cyclo loop (~£3-4) from Wat Phnom past the post office and colonial buildings to the Royal Palace and National Museum for a first orientation.
🚌Giant Ibis/Kumho bus ~£16 + cyclo ~£4
🛏Budget guesthouse, Riverside, Phnom Penh — ~£12
- →Overland border crossing Moc Bai–Bavet
- →Independently hired cyclo city loop
- →Riverside sunset walk
Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Do the two memorial sites independently: Tuol Sleng (S-21) entry ~$5 plus the excellent audio guide ~$3-5 (allow 2-3 hrs), then a tuk-tuk out to Choeung Ek ~$10-12 return with entry ~$6 including audio. Grab a bookable half-day guided combo (~£20-25) if you'd rather have narration. Afternoon: Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda ($10) or the Russian Market. Optional evening: Phare Circus (~$18-25).
🚌Tuk-tuk between sites ~£8
🛏Budget guesthouse, Riverside — ~£12
- →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum with audio guide
- →Choeung Ek Killing Fields
- →Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
- →Optional Phare Circus
Road to Siem Reap
Phnom Penh → Siem Reap, Cambodia
Take a Giant Ibis or Virak Buntham express minibus/coach to Siem Reap (~£12-15, 5.5-6 hrs), or the cheaper local bus (~£7, 7 hrs). Check in near Wat Bo / Sok San Road. Buy your Angkor ticket online tonight (1-day $37, 3-day $62 — decide based on how much temple time you want) and sort a tuk-tuk driver for a sunrise run tomorrow (~$18-20 for the small circuit).
🚌Express bus/minivan ~£14
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse, Siem Reap — ~£12
- →Phnom Penh–Siem Reap express bus
- →Buy Angkor archaeological pass online
- →Book sunrise tuk-tuk driver
Angkor Wat sunrise & the small circuit
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Leave at 4:45am with your tuk-tuk driver for sunrise at Angkor Wat's reflecting pool. Walk the galleries, then continue to Angkor Thom and the faces of Bayon, and finish at tree-entangled Ta Prohm. Doing it by tuk-tuk with a driver beats a group coach — you set the pace. Optional sunset ticket re-entry for Phnom Bakheng. Dinner at a Khmer training restaurant (e.g. one of the G for Good-style social enterprises) ~£6.
🚌Shared tuk-tuk day hire ~£9
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse, Siem Reap — ~£12
- →Sunrise at Angkor Wat
- →Bayon and Angkor Thom
- →Ta Prohm
- →Khmer dinner at a social enterprise restaurant
Angkor outlying temples or Tonlé Sap
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Second temple day further afield: Banteay Srei's pink carvings and Ta Nei/Beng Mealea with a longtail or tuk-tuk (~£20 for the day, split with hostel mates). Alternatively, Tonlé Sap floating village at Kompong Khleang (~$25-30 for a boat trip, book direct at the pier to cut the markup), plus the Angkor National Museum ($12). Evening: night market, fish amok and a massage.
🚌Tuk-tuk/longtail ~£16
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse, Siem Reap — ~£12
- →Banteay Srei & outlying temples
- →Or Tonlé Sap floating village boat trip
- →Angkor National Museum
- →Night market dinner
Fly to Bangkok
Siem Reap → Bangkok, Thailand
The Thai–Cambodia land border at Aranyaprathet is unreliable for tourists, so fly: direct Siem Reap–Bangkok flights with AirAsia/Thai Vietjet are often £45-75 one-way booked a week or two ahead (if you want a cheap overland alternative it's a long 9-11 hr combo of minibus + train via Poipet, ~£15-20, but budget a full day). Bangkok: take the Airport Rail Link (~£1) to Phaya Thai. Complete your Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 3 days of arrival. Check into a Khao San or Silom hostel and eat at a night market.
🚌Flight ~£60 + Airport Rail Link ~£1
🛏Hostel dorm, Khao San/Silom — ~£11
- →Flight Siem Reap–Bangkok
- →Airport Rail Link into the city
- →Night market food crawl
Bangkok free day
Bangkok, Thailand
Self-guided capital day: Grand Palace (500 THB, ~£11 — dress modestly), Wat Pho with the reclining Buddha (200 THB) and a £6-8 Thai massage at the temple's massage school, then the Chao Phraya Express boat (~£0.40) and a longtail canal trip through Thonburi's khlongs booked at Tha Chang pier (~£15-20). Optional evening: Muay Thai at Rajadamnern or a rooftop bar. Book tomorrow's flight/train south tonight.
🚌BTS/boats/tuk-tuk ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm, Khao San/Silom — ~£11
- →Grand Palace & Wat Pho
- →Chao Phraya Express boat
- →Longtail canal tour in Thonburi
- →Thai massage
South to Ko Ngai
Bangkok → Ko Ngai, Trang, Thailand
Fly Bangkok–Trang (AirAsia/Nok Air, ~£25-45 booked ahead, 1h20) then take the shared minivan + longtail to Ko Ngai from Trang's Hat Yao / Pak Meng pier (~£15-20 combo, seasonal, roughly Nov-May). Cheaper but slower: overnight sleeper train Bangkok–Trang (~£12-20, 12 hrs) then the same boat. Ko Ngai is small and low-key — book a beach bungalow in advance as beds are limited.
🚌Flight ~£35 + minivan/longtail ~£18
🛏Beach bungalow, Ko Ngai — ~£20
- →Flight Bangkok–Trang
- →Minivan + longtail to Ko Ngai
- →Beach afternoon and snorkel off the sand
Trang Islands snorkelling day
Ko Ngai / Ko Mook / Ko Kradan, Thailand
Join a longtail or speedboat island-hopping snorkel tour from Ko Ngai's beach (~£20-25: Ko Chueak's reef, Ko Kradan's sandbar, and the Emerald Cave swim-through at Ko Mook — tide and light dependent). Or hire a longtail privately for ~£40 and share it. Back on Ko Ngai, dinner at a beach shack, ~£6.
🚌Boat tour
🛏Beach bungalow, Ko Ngai — ~£20
- →Trang Islands snorkelling tour
- →Emerald Cave at Ko Mook
- →Ko Kradan beach stop
Ferry to Ko Lanta
Ko Ngai → Ko Lanta, Thailand
Take the seasonal public ferry/speedboat down to Ko Lanta (~£12-15, 1.5-2 hrs; outside high season it's a longtail to the mainland at Pak Meng + minivan + car ferry, ~£15). Check into a bungalow around Long Beach or Kantiang Bay. Rent a scooter for the island (~£6-8/day) and ride to the old town and Klong Nin for a beachside dinner and sunset.
🚌Ferry ~£13 + scooter ~£7
🛏Beach bungalow, Ko Lanta — ~£18
- →Public ferry to Ko Lanta
- →Scooter explore island and old town
- →Beachside sunset dinner
Ko Lanta free day / Ko Rok option
Ko Lanta, Thailand
Either a slow beach day or a Ko Rok day trip boat (book locally on the island, ~£25-30, excellent snorkelling and white sand — closed roughly mid-May to mid-Oct). Elsewhere: Mu Ko Lanta National Park lighthouse trail (~£5 entry) and a kayak in the mangroves (~£10). Sunset at Kantiang Bay.
🚌Scooter/tuk-tuk ~£5
🛏Beach bungalow, Ko Lanta — ~£18
- →Ko Rok day trip snorkelling
- →Mu Ko Lanta National Park
- →Mangrove kayaking
To Ao Nang
Ko Lanta → Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand
Minivan + car ferry from Ko Lanta to Krabi/Ao Nang (~£10-12, 3-4 hrs) or the seasonal direct ferry (~£12). Base yourself in Ao Nang for the last two nights. Afternoon: Railay Beach by longtail from Ao Nang pier (~£3 each way) — walk to Phra Nang Cave Beach. Optional kayaking around Ao Thalane's mangroves (~£12-15).
🚌Minivan + ferry ~£11, longtail ~£6
🛏Budget hotel, Ao Nang — ~£16
- →Minivan/ferry to Ao Nang
- →Longtail to Railay & Phra Nang
- →Optional mangrove kayaking
Phi Phi Islands by speedboat
Ao Nang / Phi Phi, Thailand
Book a Phi Phi speedboat day tour in Ao Nang the day before (~1,800 THB / £40, or ~£30 with a local agent): Maya Bay viewpoint, Pileh Lagoon, Loh Samah Bay snorkelling, Monkey Beach, and a stop at Phi Phi Don. Book direct with a pier operator rather than a hotel desk to save 10-20%. Last-night dinner on Ao Nang beachfront.
🚌Speedboat tour incl. hotel pickup
🛏Budget hotel, Ao Nang — ~£16
- →Phi Phi Islands speedboat tour
- →Snorkelling at Loh Samah Bay
- →Monkey Beach
Fly out of Bangkok
Ao Nang → Krabi → Bangkok
Take the airport minivan from Ao Nang to Krabi Airport (~£5, 45 min), fly Krabi–Bangkok (~£25-40 booked ahead) and connect to your international departure. Allow at least 4 hours between the domestic and international flight — the group tour equivalent requires departing Bangkok no earlier than 15:00 on Day 16.
🚌Minivan ~£5 + flight ~£32
🛏—
- →Airport minivan Krabi
- →Domestic flight to Bangkok
- →International departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£914 | £1,849 |
| Duration | 16 days | 16 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £935 per person (51%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£914
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 Cambodia & Thai Islands (West Coast) — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £914 per person for 16 days in Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand. 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 £1,849 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £914 — a saving of roughly £935 (51%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand trip?+
This itinerary runs 16 days, covering 16 day-by-day stops through Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand.
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, foodie, beaches trip through Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand, 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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