Vietnam, Laos, Thailand & Myanmar: Beaches & Bliss — Self-Launched

Land at Tan Son Nhat airport and take a metered Vinasun or Mai Linh taxi to District 1 (around 100,000 VND / £3). Book a dorm or budget private room in the Pham Ngu Lao backpacker strip. In the evening wander Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien for street beer and banh mi, and sort your onward train ticket at the station or on 12Go.

🚌Airport metered taxi ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, District 1

• →District 1 orientation wander
• →Bui Vien street food and beer
• →Buy Reunification Express train ticket

Morning walk to Ben Thanh Market, the War Remnants Museum (30,000 VND) and Reunification Palace. Optional half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour booked on GetYourGuide (~£20). Evening: board the Reunification Express soft-sleeper (SE trains, ~8-9 hrs overnight) to Nha Trang — book via 12Go or at Saigon station, roughly 600,000-800,000 VND for a 4-berth soft sleeper.

🚌Reunification Express soft sleeper ~£25

🛏Sleeper train, soft-sleeper 4-berth

• →Ben Thanh Market
• →War Remnants Museum
• →Cu Chi Tunnels (optional)
• →Overnight sleeper train

Arrive early and check into a beachside hostel. Spend the day on the main beach, then book a mud bath at Thap Ba or I-Resort (~£12-15, book direct or via Klook). Evening: DIY street food crawl — grilled seafood on Nguyen Thien Thuat, nem nuong and fresh spring rolls.

🚌Walking / Grab bike ~£2

🛏Beachside hostel dorm

• →Nha Trang beach
• →Mud bath at I-Resort or Thap Ba
• →Street food crawl

Morning swim and a wander around Dam Market. Book a boat-and-snorkel trip for the morning if you want (~£22 via Klook), otherwise relax. Late afternoon catch the sleeper train north to Da Nang (~9-10 hrs, ~700,000 VND) or a sleeper bus if trains are full.

🚌Reunification Express sleeper ~£23

🛏Sleeper train, soft-sleeper 4-berth

• →Dam Market
• →Optional island snorkelling trip
• →Sleeper train north

Arrive Da Nang and take the local bus #1 or a Grab (~£5) the 40 minutes to Hoi An. Check in to a riverside guesthouse in the Old Town. Afternoon wander through the yellow-walled laneways, and at dusk buy an Old Town entry ticket (120,000 VND) covering five heritage houses. Evening riverside drinks on An Hoi islet.

🚌Local bus / Grab Da Nang–Hoi An ~£4

🛏Hoi An Old Town guesthouse

• →Local bus Da Nang–Hoi An
• →Hoi An Old Town wander
• →An Hoi riverside drinks

Do the equivalent of the 'Oodles of Noodles' experience by booking a self-run noodle cooking class — Red Bridge, Gioan or Tra Que Organic Village cooking classes run ~£22-28 via GetYourGuide. Afternoon: hire a bicycle (~£2) and ride to An Bang or Cua Dai beach, or take a shared shuttle to the My Son Sanctuary (~£22 incl. entry, book via Klook).

🚌Bicycle hire ~£2

🛏Hoi An Old Town guesthouse

• →Noodle cooking class
• →Cycle to An Bang beach
• →My Son Sanctuary (optional)

Take the local bus or shared limousine van over the Hai Van Pass to Hue (~3 hrs, ~150,000 VND, book on 12Go). Arrive and cross the Perfume River to the Imperial Citadel (150,000 VND entry). Evening: bun bo Hue at a local stall and a walk along the riverside promenade.

🚌Shared limousine van Hoi An–Hue ~£5

🛏Budget hotel or hostel, Hue backpacker area

• →Hai Van Pass transfer
• →Imperial Citadel
• →Bun bo Hue dinner

Morning: motorbike tour of Hue's royal tombs and Thien Mu Pagoda with a local driver (~£15, book on GetYourGuide). Midday bus to Phong Nha (~4 hrs, ~200,000 VND) and check into a riverside homestay in Phong Nha village surrounded by karst peaks.

🚌Local bus Hue–Phong Nha ~£7

🛏Phong Nha riverside homestay

• →Hue motorbike tour
• →Thien Mu Pagoda
• →Bus to Phong Nha

Visit Paradise Cave (~£10 entry) with a local transfer, or splash out on the Dark Cave zipline-and-kayak combo (~£20). Late afternoon take the bus back to Dong Hoi and board the overnight Reunification Express to Hanoi (~11 hrs, soft sleeper ~£28).

🚌Local bus + overnight train ~£32

🛏Sleeper train, soft-sleeper 4-berth

• →Paradise Cave
• →Dark Cave zipline (optional)
• →Overnight train to Hanoi

Arrive Hanoi early morning. Book a day cruise on a traditional junk boat through Halong Bay with lunch and a cave stop — day trips run ~£35-45 via GetYourGuide or Klook (overnight cruises cost more). Return to Hanoi in the evening and check into a hostel in the Old Quarter.

🚌Shuttle bus Hanoi–Halong return ~£10 (often included in cruise)

🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm

• →Halong Bay junk boat day cruise
• →Cave visit
• →Seafood lunch on board

Walk the Old Quarter — Hoan Kiem Lake, Temple of Literature (30,000 VND), Tran Quoc Pagoda, and the Train Street cafés. Grab a 25p bia hoi on Bia Hoi Corner at Ta Hien and Hai Tu streets. Evening: water puppet theatre (100,000 VND) or a street food tour (~£20 via GetYourGuide).

🚌Walking / Grab ~£3

🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm

• →Old Quarter walk
• →Temple of Literature
• →Bia Hoi Corner
• →Water puppet show

Fly Hanoi to Vientiane on Vietjet or Lao Airlines (~£60-90 one-way, book direct or on Skyscanner). Apply for your Laos visa on arrival at Wattay airport (~$40). Afternoon: walk to Patuxai and Pha That Luang, then sunset over the Mekong with a Beerlao.

🚌Flight Hanoi–Vientiane ~£75

🛏Guesthouse near the Mekong riverside

• →Flight to Vientiane
• →Patuxai
• →Pha That Luang
• →Mekong sunset

Morning at the morning market and Buddha Park (14 km out, ~£6 by tuk-tuk). Midday VIP bus or minivan to Vang Vieng (~3.5 hrs, ~90,000 kip on 12Go). Settle into a riverside guesthouse or hostel and catch the sunset over the Nam Song from the bamboo bridge.

🚌VIP bus Vientiane–Vang Vieng ~£6

🛏Vang Vieng riverside bungalow or hostel

• →Buddha Park
• →VIP bus to Vang Vieng
• →Nam Song riverside sunset

Hike up Pha Ngern viewpoint for sunrise (free, ~1.5 hrs up) or Nam Xay viewpoint (~20,000 kip). Afternoon: hire a bike or kayak (~£10-15) or book the tubing/kayak combo via Klook. Evening: drinks at one of the riverside bars — this is the 'Vang Vieng nightlife' of the original trip, minus the group.

🚌Bicycle hire ~£3

🛏Vang Vieng riverside bungalow or hostel

• →Pha Ngern viewpoint hike
• →Kayaking on the Nam Song (optional)
• →Riverside bars

Take the minivan to Luang Prabang (~5-6 hrs, ~£12) or split the journey to add a Mekong slow boat leg from Pakbeng. Alternatively, a slow boat down the Mekong from Huay Xai or Pakbeng costs ~£15-20 for the day and stops at Pak Ou caves and riverside villages. Arrive Luang Prabang and settle into a guesthouse in the Old Town.

🚌Minivan Vang Vieng–Luang Prabang ~£12

🛏Luang Prabang Old Town guesthouse

• →Minivan / Mekong slow boat
• →Pak Ou caves (if by boat)
• →Luang Prabang Old Town stroll

Share a tuk-tuk to Kuang Si Waterfalls (~£10-15 return, ~£2 entry) — swim in the turquoise tiers and visit the Asiatic black bear sanctuary on site. Evening: climb Mount Phousi (~20,000 kip) for sunset over the Mekong and temples.

🚌Shared tuk-tuk to Kuang Si ~£10

🛏Luang Prabang Old Town guesthouse

• →Kuang Si Waterfalls
• →Tat Kuang Si bear sanctuary
• →Mount Phousi sunset

Rise early for the alms-giving ceremony on Sakkaline Road. Then visit Wat Xieng Thong (~20,000 kip), the Royal Palace Museum (60,000 kip) and Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre (free). Afternoon: lao cooking class ~£22 via Klook, or explore the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre.

🚌Walking / tuk-tuk ~£3

🛏Luang Prabang Old Town guesthouse

• →Alms-giving ceremony
• →Wat Xieng Thong
• →Ock Pop Tok crafts centre
• →Lao cooking class (optional)

Take the early VIP bus or minivan to Huay Xai (~6 hrs), then cross the Mekong by boat ferry to Chiang Khong (~£1, Thai baht needed). No visa needed for Thailand for most nationalities (30 days). Settle into a riverside guesthouse on the Mekong.

🚌Bus/minivan + ferry ~£16

🛏Chiang Khong riverside guesthouse

• →Minivan to Huay Xai
• →Mekong border crossing
• →Riverside wander

Morning bus to Chiang Mai (~6 hrs, ~£10 on Green Bus or 12Go). Check into a hostel inside the Old City walls. Evening: Chiang Mai Night Bazaar street food walk, or the optional Khantoke dinner-and-show at a local venue (~£22 — book direct).

🚌Bus Chiang Khong–Chiang Mai ~£10

🛏Chiang Mai Old City hostel dorm

• →Green Bus to Chiang Mai
• →Night Bazaar street food
• →Khantoke dinner & show (optional)

Book a half-day Northern Thai cooking class ~£22-28 via GetYourGuide or Klook — market tour, khao soi, som tam and sticky rice. Afternoon: climb the 300 steps to Doi Suthep temple (~50 baht entry, songthaew ~£3) or explore Wat Chedi Luang.

🚌Songthaew to Doi Suthep ~£3

🛏Chiang Mai Old City hostel dorm

• →Northern Thai cooking class
• →Doi Suthep temple
• →Wat Chedi Luang

Bus to Chiang Rai (~3 hrs, ~£6), then bus to Mae Sai on the border. Cross at Mae Sai–Tachileik — Myanmar e-visa must be applied for in advance via the official MOIP site (~$50). Continue to Kengtung by local bus or shared pickup (~4-5 hrs).

🚌Buses + border crossing ~£20

🛏Kengtung budget hotel

• →Bus to Mae Sai
• →Walk across Mae Sai–Tachileik border
• →Local bus to Kengtung

Do the classic Kengtung day trek past rice paddies to Akha, Lahu and Shan villages. Local guides arrange from town (~£20-30 including lunch) — ask at your hotel or the Kyaing Tong trekking office. Visit the morning market and see tribal silverwork.

🚌Walking / tuk-tuk ~£2

🛏Kengtung budget hotel

• →Day trek to hill tribe villages
• →Kengtung market
• →Local lunch

Long travel day: local bus from Kengtung via Taunggyi to Nyaungshwe (~10-12 hrs, ~£12-15). Book via your guesthouse or local agency the day before. Check into a guesthouse in Nyaungshwe near the canal.

🚌Local bus Kengtung–Nyaungshwe ~£14

🛏Nyaungshwe guesthouse

• →Scenic Shan State bus journey
• →Arrive Nyaungshwe

Hire a longtail boat with a local boatman for the day (~25,000-30,000 kyat split between passengers, £12-15 total). See the leg-rowing fishermen, Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the Nga Phe Chaung monastery, silk and cheroot workshops, and the floating gardens. Return to Nyaungshwe for a Shan dinner.

🚌Shared longtail boat ~£7 per person

🛏Nyaungshwe guesthouse

• →Inle Lake boat tour
• →Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda
• →Cheroot and silk workshops
• →Leg-rowing fishermen

Morning bus to Bagan (~8-9 hrs, ~£12). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Nyaung U. Buy the Bagan Archaeological Zone ticket (25,000 kyat / ~£10) which covers all the temples for the length of your stay. Evening: sunset from a permitted temple mound or the riverside.

🚌Bus Inle–Bagan ~£12

🛏Nyaung U guesthouse or hostel

• →Bus to Bagan
• →Bagan Archaeological Zone ticket
• →Sunset over the plain

Wake early for sunrise over the temples — the classic view is from one of the permitted mounds. Then hire an e-bike (~8,000 kyat / ~£3) and ride between Ananda, Thatbyinnyu, Dhammayangyi and Sulamani. Drop into Nyaung U market. Evening: dinner at a local tea shop or a Bagan training-restaurant style local spot.

🚌E-bike hire ~£3

🛏Nyaung U guesthouse or hostel

• →Sunrise over Bagan temples
• →E-bike temple circuit
• →Nyaung U market

Optional sunrise hot-air balloon flight over Bagan (seasonal Oct–Mar, ~£220 — book direct with Oriental Ballooning; skip if on a tight budget). Midday bus to Mandalay (~4-5 hrs, ~£8). Afternoon: walk the U Bein teak bridge at Amarapura for sunset, then check into a Mandalay hostel.

🚌Bus Bagan–Mandalay ~£8 + local transport ~£3

🛏Mandalay hostel dorm or budget hotel

• →Bagan balloon flight (optional)
• →Bus to Mandalay
• →U Bein Bridge sunset

Climb Mandalay Hill at sunrise, then visit Shwenandaw Kyaung (Golden Palace Monastery), Kuthodaw Pagoda with the world's largest book, and Mahamuni Pagoda. Afternoon: boat trip on the Irrawaddy or explore the jade market. Evening: local beer station and Mandalay night market.

🚌Grab / tuk-tuk ~£4

🛏Mandalay hostel dorm or budget hotel

• →Mandalay Hill climb
• →Shwenandaw Kyaung
• →Kuthodaw Pagoda
• →Mahamuni Pagoda

Fly Mandalay to Yangon on a local carrier (~£40-50, book direct) to save the long overland leg — or take the night train/bus if you want the budget/scenic version. Check into a hotel in the downtown or Bogyoke area and walk the colonial architecture in the afternoon.

🚌Flight Mandalay–Yangon ~£45

🛏Downtown Yangon budget hotel

• →Flight to Yangon
• →Downtown colonial architecture walk
• →Bogyoke Aung San Market

Visit Shwedagon Pagoda (10,000 kyat entry, best at golden hour). Ride the Yangon Circle Line train loop (~£1, 3 hours) for a real slice of city life. Evening: Kandawgyi Lake walk and dinner at a local Burmese restaurant.

🚌Circle Line + Grab ~£3

🛏Downtown Yangon budget hotel

• →Shwedagon Pagoda
• →Yangon Circle Line train
• →Kandawgyi Lake

Morning flight Yangon–Bangkok on Thai Lion, AirAsia or Thai Airways (~£60-80). Check into a hostel near Khao San or Silom. Evening: street food on Yaowarat (Chinatown) — the original trip's Bangkok finish, done your way.

🚌Flight Yangon–Bangkok ~£70

🛏Bangkok hostel dorm

• →Flight Yangon–Bangkok
• →Yaowarat Chinatown street food

Take the Chao Phraya Express boat (~£1) to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, then cross the river to Wat Arun. Afternoon: Chatuchak market (weekends) or a Thai cooking class (~£25). Evening: rooftop bar or Muay Thai at Rajadamnern if you're up for it.

🚌Chao Phraya boat + BTS ~£3

🛏Bangkok hostel dorm

• →Grand Palace & Wat Pho
• →Wat Arun
• →Chatuchak market (weekend)
• →Muay Thai (optional)

Last morning for markets and coffee. If you've got an evening flight, splash out on a cheap Thai massage (~£8) and a final bowl of boat noodles, then head to Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang on the Airport Rail Link (~£1).

🚌Airport Rail Link ~£1

🛏None (departure day)

• →Last market shopping
• →Thai massage
• →Airport Rail Link