Self-Launched Classic Vietnam: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
10 days · Vietnam
G Adventures charges £945
No-markup version: ~£456 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 10-day independent version of G Adventures' Classic Vietnam route — Hanoi's Old Quarter, an overnight junk boat in Ha Long Bay, the Reunification Express down to imperial Hue, the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An, and a budget flight to Ho Chi Minh City for the Cu Chi Tunnels. Everything is bookable yourself: sleeper trains, Open Tour buses, hostel dorms and private rooms, and activities via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct with local operators. Estimates are approximate, per person, and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai (complete Vietnam's online pre-arrival declaration within 3 days of arrival if required for your nationality). Take the #86 airport bus to the Old Quarter for about 45,000 VND (~£1.50) or a Grab car for ~£8-10. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Hoan Kiem Lake, then walk the 36 streets of the Old Quarter, circle Hoan Kiem Lake and grab a bia hoi (fresh draught beer, ~£0.30) on Ta Hien corner. Book tomorrow's Ha Long Bay trip tonight from your hostel or a local agent on Ma May street — a 2D/1N junk boat with transfers should cost £55-75.
🚌Airport bus #86 (~£1.50) or Grab (~£8-10)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Old Quarter (~£10-14)
- →Old Quarter walking orientation
- →Hoan Kiem Lake
- →Bia hoi corner on Ta Hien
- →Book Ha Long Bay 2D/1N tour via hostel/agent
Ha Long Bay junk boat — caves and karsts
Ha Long Bay
Early pick-up (~7:30-8am) on a shared minibus for the ~3.5-hour drive to Ha Long. Board a traditional wooden junk, cruise among the limestone karsts, kayak (often ~£8 extra), and visit a cave such as Thien Cung or Sung Sot plus a viewpoint. Seafood lunch and dinner are usually included. Sleep on board in a twin cabin or shared cabin depending on your booking tier.
🚌Shared minibus Hanoi–Ha Long, ~3.5 hrs (included)
🛏Overnight on junk boat (included in tour price)
- →Junk boat cruise
- →Kayaking among karsts
- →Cave visit
- →Island lookout / viewpoint
Sail back, Hanoi free time, overnight train to Hue
Hanoi → Hue
Breakfast and lunch on board, then sail back to port and return to Hanoi by early-to-mid afternoon. Use the gap for the Temple of Literature (~£1.20), the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (free, mornings only) or Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake. In the evening head to Hanoi station for the Reunification Express sleeper (SE1 or similar, departing ~19:30-20:00, arriving Hue ~08:00-09:00). Book a soft-sleeper 4-berth online via dsvn.vn or 12go.asia for roughly £30-40 — buy water, fruit and snacks before boarding.
🚌Reunification Express Hanoi–Hue, ~13 hrs, soft sleeper ~£30-40
🛏Sleeper train, soft-sleeper 4-berth (included in transport cost)
- →Hanoi free time: Temple of Literature or Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Water puppet theatre (optional, ~£7)
- →Overnight Reunification Express
Hue — Imperial Citadel, Royal Tombs and Thien Mu Pagoda
Hue
Arrive early and drop bags at a guesthouse in the backpacker strip around Pham Ngu Lao / Chu Van An. Either join a small-group Citadel + Royal Tombs + Thien Mu tour booked via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£18-25), or do it yourself: rent a bicycle (~£2/day) or take a Grab to the Imperial Citadel (~£5 entry), then a dragon boat across the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda (boat ~£3-4), and a Grab to Khai Dinh or Tu Duc tomb (~£5 entry). In the afternoon consider a motorbike food/city tour with a local guide (~£20-25) — the classic 'Hue by motorbike' experience.
🚌Bicycle rental or Grab within Hue (~£3-5)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Hue (~£12-16)
- →Imperial Citadel (UNESCO)
- →Thien Mu Pagoda by dragon boat
- →Royal Tomb (Khai Dinh or Tu Duc)
- →Optional motorbike tour (~£20-25)
Hai Van Pass to Hoi An
Hue → Hoi An
The scenic route is the point: take an Open Tour / shared minibus that stops at the Hai Van Pass viewpoint and the marble mountains at Da Nang on the way (~£8-12, 3.5-4 hrs) — or, for the adventurous, hire a motorbike with easy rider (~£30-35) or take the train Hue–Da Nang (~£3, one of the world's great coastal rail runs) and connect by bus/Grab to Hoi An. Arrive in Hoi An, check into a guesthouse in the Old Town or An Hoi islet, and spend the evening among the lanterns and riverfront bars.
🚌Open Tour bus/sleeper bus with Hai Van Pass stop ~£8-12, or train ~£3 + local bus
🛏Guesthouse, Hoi An Old Town or An Hoi (~£12-16)
- →Hai Van Pass viewpoint
- →Marble Mountains stop (Da Nang)
- →Hoi An lantern-lit riverside evening
Hoi An Old Town and noodle workshop
Hoi An
Buy the Old Town entry ticket (~£5) which covers the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese assembly halls and old merchant houses. That evening join a self-booked Vietnamese cooking class (~£22-28 via Klook/GetYourGuide or direct with a local school, including a market tour) — a hands-on equivalent of the operator's noodle-making session. Alternatively try a shorter cao lau / noodle-making workshop for ~£12-15. Rent a bicycle (~£2) to get around.
🚌Bicycle rental (~£2)
🛏Guesthouse, Hoi An (~£12-16)
- →Hoi An Old Town ticket (Japanese Bridge, assembly halls)
- →Cooking class with market tour (~£22-28)
- →Bicycle ride to An Bang or Cua Dai beach
Free day — My Son ruins or tailor and beach
Hoi An
Choose your own Hoi An day. My Son Sanctuary sunrise tour with a local guide is ~£28-38 (or go by rented motorbike/Grab and pay the ~£6 entry). Otherwise: get clothes made at one of the Old Town tailors (allow 24-48 hrs and £30-60), take a Thu Bon river boat trip (~£10), do a basket-boat ride in Cam Thanh (~£6-8), or just cycle to An Bang beach for the day. Evening: night market and cao lau for dinner (~£3).
🚌Bicycle, Grab or shared tour transport (~£5-8)
🛏Guesthouse, Hoi An (~£12-16)
- →My Son Sanctuary tour (~£28-38)
- →Tailor fitting
- →Thu Bon river boat trip
- →An Bang beach
- →Cam Thanh basket boats
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City
Transfer to Da Nang airport (~45 mins, shared shuttle ~£5-7 or Grab ~£12) and fly to Saigon (SGN) on VietJet or Vietnam Airlines, ~1h20, roughly £30-50 one-way booked a few weeks ahead — check the 20kg baggage allowance. From Tan Son Nhat take Grab bike (~£1.50) or car (~£4) to District 1. Spend the afternoon on a self-guided walk: Ben Thanh Market, the Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office exteriors, and the War Remnants Museum (~£2). Evening street food on Bui Vien or a banh mi and iced coffee crawl.
🚌Shared airport shuttle Da Nang + domestic flight (~£30-50) + Grab in Saigon
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, District 1, Saigon (~£10-15)
- →Ben Thanh Market
- →War Remnants Museum (~£2)
- →Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
- →Bui Vien street food
Cu Chi Tunnels and Saigon free time
Ho Chi Minh City
Join a half-day small-group Cu Chi Tunnels tour booked via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£15-22 including transport and guide, entry ~£5 included or separate). Morning departures are cooler and quieter. Back in the city by early afternoon — use it for the Reunification Palace (~£2), Cholon (Chinatown) and Thien Hau Pagoda, or a rooftop drink at sunset. Book a Grab to the airport for tomorrow.
🚌Shared minibus to Cu Chi (included in tour), Grab in city (~£3)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Saigon (~£10-15)
- →Cu Chi Tunnels guided half-day tour
- →Reunification Palace
- →Cholon / Thien Hau Pagoda
- →Rooftop sunset drink
Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Check out and make your way to Tan Son Nhat airport — Grab car ~£4 or bus #109/#152 for under £1. If you have a late flight, leave bags at the hostel and do a final egg-coffee stop or wander the back alleys of District 3 before heading out. International flights home are not included in this estimate.
🚌Grab or local bus to Tan Son Nhat airport (~£1-4)
🛏—
- →Final egg coffee
- →Last-minute market shopping
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£456 | £945 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £489 per person (52%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£456
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 Classic Vietnam: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £456 per person for 10 days in Vietnam. 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 £945 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £456 — a saving of roughly £489 (52%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Vietnam.
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, foodie trip through Vietnam, 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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