Self-Launched Vietnam Adventure: Hoi An, Beaches & Ho Chi Minh City

Fly into Da Nang International Airport (the nearest hub to Hoi An) and take a pre-booked shuttle or grab taxi to Hoi An — roughly 45 minutes and around £5–8. Check into Dolphin Hostel Hoi An (used on the G Adventures tour) or a comparable dorm such as Tribee Bana or Hoi An Backpackers. Spend the afternoon wandering Hoi An Ancient Town UNESCO World Heritage Site freely — no ticket needed for the streets, though a combined ticket (~£3) covers key landmarks. Head out for a welcome dinner and try local specialities: Cao Lầu, Bánh Mì, and White Rose dumplings at one of the stylish old-town restaurants. Budget roughly £8–12 for a solid sit-down dinner.

🚌Da Nang Airport to Hoi An by pre-booked shuttle or Grab taxi (~£5–8)

🛏Dolphin Hostel Hoi An or equivalent (dorm ~£8–12/night)

• →Arrive at Da Nang Airport — take shuttle to Hoi An (~£5–8)
• →Check in to hostel dorm (e.g. Dolphin Hostel Hoi An)
• →Self-guided stroll through Hoi An Ancient Town
• →Welcome dinner: try Cao Lầu, Bánh Mì or White Rose dumplings at a local restaurant
• →Optional: Hoi An Lantern Making class via GetYourGuide (~£8–12)
• →Optional: Evening boat ride on Thu Bon River with floating lanterns (~£3–5 self-booked)

Start the morning with a Vietnamese cooking class — the Oodles of Noodles style experience can be booked directly with local schools like Thuan Tinh Island Cooking Tour or via GetYourGuide for around £20–28 per person, including a market visit and lunch from your own creations. In the afternoon, make your way to Qui Nhon. The easiest route is a direct open-tour bus or sleeper bus from Hoi An to Qui Nhon (~5–6 hours, around £6–10). Book via Baolau.com or at any local travel agent. Arrive in Qui Nhon in the early evening and check in.

🚌Hoi An to Qui Nhon: open-tour bus or sleeper bus (~5–6 hrs, £6–10)

🛏5 Elements Hostel Qui Nhon or equivalent (dorm ~£8–12/night)

• →Book and attend an Oodles of Noodles style Vietnamese cooking class via GetYourGuide or direct (£20–28, includes market tour and lunch)
• →Optional: Custom tailor fitting at one of Hoi An's famous tailor shops
• →Afternoon: travel to Qui Nhon by open-tour sleeper bus (~5–6 hrs, £6–10 via Baolau.com)
• →Evening: explore Qui Nhon waterfront and grab street food dinner

A full day to explore one of Vietnam's most underrated coastal cities. Start with a local breakfast at Eo Gió (Windy Pass) — a spectacular coastal cliff walk with dramatic rock formations. Hire a motorbike taxi (xe ôm) or rent a scooter (£5–8/day) to get around. Visit the Thap Doi Cham Tower Ruins — free entry, fascinating ancient Cham architecture. Head to Ky Co Beach for the afternoon, widely regarded as one of Vietnam's most beautiful hidden beaches. Access is by boat from a nearby pier (£3–5 return). End the day with a seafood feast at one of Qui Nhon's famous beachfront seafood restaurants — budget around £8–12 for an excellent spread.

🚌Local scooter rental or xe ôm motorbike taxi for the day (~£5–8)

🛏5 Elements Hostel Qui Nhon or equivalent (dorm ~£8–12/night)

• →Morning: Eo Gió coastal walk (free, hire xe ôm or rent scooter to get there ~£5–8)
• →Local breakfast at a street stall near Eo Gió
• →Visit Thap Doi Cham Tower Ruins (free entry)
• →Afternoon: Ky Co Beach — access by boat from pier (£3–5 return)
• →Evening: Seafood dinner at a Qui Nhon beachfront restaurant (£8–12)

After breakfast, take a sleeper bus from Qui Nhon to Nha Trang (~4–5 hours, £7–10). On arrival, check into Bondi Backpackers Nha Trang (the same hostel on the G Adventures tour) or a comparable property. In the afternoon, visit Gành Đá Đĩa — Vietnam's answer to the Giant's Causeway, featuring stunning hexagonal basalt rock columns. Note: this is ~35km north of Nha Trang so take a day-trip by local bus or join a shared tour (~£10–15). Also visit the famous Nha Trang Mud Baths at Thap Ba Hot Springs — book direct online (~£8–12 per person). Evening is free to explore Nha Trang's beach strip, bars and street food scene.

🚌Qui Nhon to Nha Trang: sleeper bus (~4–5 hrs, £7–10)

🛏Bondi Backpackers Nha Trang or equivalent (dorm ~£10–14/night)

• →Morning: sleeper bus from Qui Nhon to Nha Trang (~4–5 hrs, £7–10 via Baolau.com)
• →Check in to Bondi Backpackers Nha Trang or equivalent
• →Afternoon: Gành Đá Đĩa basalt rock formation visit (shared day-trip ~£10–15 or local bus)
• →Thap Ba Hot Springs Mud Bath visit (book direct ~£8–12 per person)
• →Optional: Nha Trang Boat Tour & Snorkelling via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£22–25)
• →Evening: explore Nha Trang beach bars and street food

Enjoy a relaxed morning at Nha Trang Beach — one of Vietnam's finest urban beaches, with free public access. Grab a cheap deckchair and coconut, and soak it up. Optional: visit Nha Trang's Vinpearl Waterpark or book a boat snorkelling tour via GetYourGuide (~£22–25). For transport to Ho Chi Minh City, the best budget option is the overnight sleeper bus (£12–18, ~9 hours) or a flight (budget carriers like VietJet from ~£20–35 if booked ahead). Taking the overnight bus saves you a night's accommodation. Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City early morning.

🚌Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City: overnight sleeper bus (~9 hrs, £12–18) or VietJet flight (~£20–35)

🛏Overnight sleeper bus (saves accommodation cost)

• →Morning: free time at Nha Trang Beach (sun lounger hire ~£2)
• →Optional: Nha Trang Boat Tour & Snorkelling via GetYourGuide (~£22–25)
• →Optional: Nha Trang Waterpark visit (£15–20)
• →Afternoon/Evening: Nha Trang promenade stroll and final street food meal
• →Overnight: sleeper bus to Ho Chi Minh City (~9 hrs, £12–18 via Baolau.com) or VietJet flight (~£20–35)

Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) early morning. Check in to Phan Anh Backpacker (as used on the G Adventures tour) or a similar central hostel. Start your day with a classic bowl of Pho from a street stall — budget around £1–2. Do a self-guided walking tour of HCMC highlights: Reunification Palace (entry ~£2), the French Quarter's Notre-Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office (free exterior), and the buzzing Ben Thanh Market. Book the War Remnants Museum independently (entry ~£1.50 — unmissable and deeply moving). Optional: book a Cu Chi Tunnels guided tour via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£18–22, half-day). End the night at a karaoke bar with new hostel friends — private rooms from ~£5–8 per person per hour.

🚌Walking and Grab app for local transport within HCMC (~£1–3 per ride)

🛏Phan Anh Backpacker or equivalent hostel (dorm ~£8–12/night)

• →Arrive HCMC, check in to Phan Anh Backpacker or equivalent
• →Street food breakfast: Pho at a local stall (~£1–2)
• →Self-guided HCMC walking tour: Reunification Palace (~£2), French Quarter, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office
• →Ben Thanh Market browse and street food lunch (~£3–5)
• →War Remnants Museum visit (entry ~£1.50, book direct)
• →Optional: Cu Chi Tunnels half-day guided tour via GetYourGuide (~£18–22)
• →Optional: Cyclo tour of HCMC (~£8–10 per person, self-booked)
• →Evening: Karaoke night at a local karaoke bar (~£5–8/hr per room)

A relaxed final morning in Saigon. Grab one last Vietnamese coffee (cà phê sữa đá, iced coffee with condensed milk) from a local café — a must-try at around £0.50–1. Use any remaining time to pick up souvenirs from Ben Thanh Market or a nearby craft shop, or simply wander the lively backpacker district of Bui Vien Street. Head to Tan Son Nhat International Airport via Grab taxi (~£5–8). Optional extension: book a Mekong Delta day tour before departure via GetYourGuide (~£20–28) if your flight is in the evening.

🚌Grab taxi to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (~£5–8)

• →Morning: final Vietnamese iced coffee at a local café (~£0.50–1)
• →Last-minute souvenir shopping at Ben Thanh Market or Bui Vien Street
• →Optional: Mekong Delta day tour via GetYourGuide (~£20–28)
• →Grab taxi to Tan Son Nhat Airport (~£5–8)