Vietnam Odyssey: Self-Launched 12-Day Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
12 days · Vietnam
Legend Travel Group charges £897
No-markup version: ~£865 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on Legend Travel Group's 12-day Vietnam Odyssey — same route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City via Halong Bay, Hoi An, Hue, the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta, but booked independently using budget guesthouses, local buses, overnight trains and self-bookable day tours. You'll skip the private guide, internal flight bundle and group departures, saving roughly £500-700 per person while keeping every headline destination. Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai International Airport and make your own way into the city — the local bus 86 costs about £1.20 to Hoan Kiem, or a Grab car is roughly £6-8. Check into a budget guesthouse in the Old Quarter. Spend the afternoon wandering the 36 Streets, sampling bun cha and egg coffee, and sorting your onward travel. Book a Halong Bay overnight cruise (2D/1N) and your Hanoi-Hoi An transport tonight.
🚌Airport bus 86 (~£1.20) or Grab (~£7)
🛏Budget guesthouse Old Quarter, e.g. Hanoi Amber Hostel or similar (£10-14 dorm / £18-24 private)
- →Old Quarter walking orientation
- →Hoan Kiem Lake at sunset
- →Street food tour on foot
- →Book Halong Bay cruise & onward transport
Hanoi Highlights Self-Tour
Hanoi
Walk or cycle between Hanoi's headline sights. Start at Tran Quoc Pagoda on Golden Fish Island, then the Ho Chi Minh complex with mausoleum and stilt house. Continue to the One Pillar Pagoda, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (or Women's Museum on Mondays), the Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison. Most sites charge small entry fees (£1-2 each). Grab a bia hoi on Ta Hien street in the evening.
🚌Walking / Grab short hops (~£3 total)
🛏Budget guesthouse Old Quarter (£18-24 private)
- →Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & complex
- →One Pillar Pagoda
- →Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
- →Temple of Literature
- →Hoa Lo Prison
Halong Bay Overnight Cruise
Halong Bay
Book a budget-to-midrange overnight junk through your guesthouse or Klook/GetYourGuide (from about £90-130 including transfers, meals, kayaking and cave visits — cheaper than the operator's premium cruises). Drive through the Red River Delta rice paddies to the harbour, board a traditional junk and cruise among the limestone karsts. Visit Amazing Cave, swim and enjoy a seafood dinner on board before a night moored in the bay.
🚌Shared shuttle included in cruise package (Hanoi-Halong ~3.5 hrs each way)
🛏Overnight on budget-to-midrange junk boat (booked independently, included in cruise price)
- →Scenic drive through rice paddies
- →Cruise Halong Bay
- →Amazing Cave (Sung Sot)
- →Swimming & kayaking
- →Sunset on deck
Halong Bay to Hoi An
Hoi An
Enjoy sunrise tai chi on deck and a visit to a floating fishing village before the boat returns to harbour around midday. Shuttle back to Hanoi, then take a cheap domestic flight (VietJet/Bamboo, ~£35-55 booked ahead) from Noi Bai to Da Nang, and a Grab or shuttle (~£10) down to Hoi An. Check into a riverside guesthouse and stretch your legs in the Ancient Town — buy a £4 ticket covering the main heritage houses and the Japanese Covered Bridge.
🚌Cruise shuttle to Hanoi + domestic flight to Da Nang (~£45) + Grab to Hoi An (~£10)
🛏Hoi An riverside guesthouse or homestay (£12-20 / night)
- →Sunrise on Halong Bay
- →Floating fishing village
- →Evening stroll in Hoi An Ancient Town
- →Japanese Covered Bridge
Hoi An Old Town & Kim Bong Village
Hoi An
Use your Ancient Town ticket to visit the temples, assembly halls, the Sa Huynh Museum and the 18th-century chapel. In the afternoon hire a bicycle (~£1.50) and take the short ferry across the Thu Bon River to Kim Bong Village to watch woodworkers and boat-builders at work. Back in town, get measured for a tailor-made outfit (from ~£25) and eat cao lau and white rose dumplings.
🚌Bicycle hire (~£1.50) + ferry (~£0.50)
🛏Hoi An guesthouse/homestay (£12-20)
- →Hoi An Ancient Town heritage sites
- →Sa Huynh Museum
- →Cycling & river ferry to Kim Bong Village
- →Woodwork & boat-building workshops
- →Tailor fitting
My Son Sanctuary
Hoi An
Take a self-booked My Son Sanctuary tour or rent a scooter/join a shared minibus (from ~£15-25 including entry). Explore the Cham towers and sanctuaries of this UNESCO site, learn about the Cham civilisation and admire the temple carvings. Return mid-afternoon for lantern shopping and a sunset on the Japanese Covered Bridge. Optional: watch silk lanterns illuminate the old town after dark.
🚌Shared minibus or guided day tour pickup (~£15-25)
🛏Hoi An guesthouse/homestay (£12-20)
- →My Son Sanctuary UNESCO tour
- →Cham tower carvings
- →Lantern shopping
- →Evening in the Ancient Town
Hoi An to Hue over the Hai Van Pass
Hue
Travel to Hue the scenic way. Options: local bus My Son/Da Nang then train from Da Nang to Hue (Hue is where the Reunification Express runs; ~£4-6), or a direct Hoi An-Hue sleeper/local bus (~£6). If timing allows, stop at the Cham Museum and Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountains) in Da Nang, cross the Hai Van Pass, and rest at Lang Co Beach. Arrive in Hue and walk the Perfume River banks.
🚌Local bus / train Da Nang-Hue (~£6)
🛏Budget hotel Hue, e.g. a Cherish-style 3* equivalent (£14-22 / night)
- →Cham Museum Da Nang
- →Marble Mountains
- →Hai Van Pass viewpoint
- →Lang Co Beach stop
- →Evening Perfume River stroll
Hue Imperial Citadel & Tombs
Hue
Hire a bicycle or Grab between sights. Take a short boat trip on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, then visit the tombs of Emperors Khai Dinh and Tu Duc (each ~£4 entry). After lunch at a local restaurant, explore the Imperial Citadel and Purple Forbidden City (~£6 entry) and the Thuy Xuan incense-making village, finishing at Dong Ba market. A self-guided day saves the private-guide fee and gives you freedom to linger.
🚌Bicycle / Grab / boat hire (~£6 total)
🛏Budget hotel Hue (£14-22)
- →Boat trip on the Perfume River
- →Thien Mu Pagoda
- →Khai Dinh Mausoleum
- →Tu Duc Mausoleum
- →Imperial Citadel & Purple Forbidden City
- →Thuy Xuan incense village
- →Dong Ba market
Fly Hue to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Take an early flight from Phu Bai Airport to Tan Son Nhat (VietJet/Bamboo from ~£35-55 booked ahead). Check into a District 1 guesthouse and explore on foot: the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral exterior, and the Reunification Palace (~£3 entry). Evening on Bui Vien walking street for cheap eats and a beer.
🚌Domestic flight Hue-Saigon (~£45) + Grab to hotel (~£5)
🛏District 1 budget hotel or hostel (£12-20 / night)
- →Flight to Ho Chi Minh City
- →Central Post Office
- →Notre Dame Cathedral
- →Reunification Palace
- →Bui Vien Street food
Cu Chi Tunnels Day Trip
Ho Chi Minh City
Book a Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£15-22 including transport, guide and entry) — this is one activity worth joining a group for. Crawl through sections of the tunnel complex, see wartime remnants and sample cassava and local snacks. Return to Saigon for the War Remnants Museum (~£2) and a bowl of pho for dinner.
🚌Included in Cu Chi tour; Grab elsewhere (~£3)
🛏District 1 budget hotel/hostel (£12-20)
- →Cu Chi Tunnels group tour
- →Tunnel complex & war remnants
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Pho dinner in District 1
Mekong Delta Day Trip
Mekong Delta / Ho Chi Minh City
Join a small-group Mekong Delta tour to My Tho (~£18-28, ~1.5 hrs from the city). Cruise the Mekong tributaries by sampan, visit islands with traditional handicraft workshops, coconut candy and bee farms, and stop at Vinh Trang Pagoda. Return to Saigon in the late afternoon; overnight stay can also be arranged if you want a slower pace.
🚌Mekong tour minibus included (~1.5 hrs each way)
🛏District 1 budget hotel/hostel (£12-20)
- →Drive to My Tho
- →Mekong River boat trip & sampan row
- →Island handicraft workshops
- →Coconut candy & bee farms
- →Vinh Trang Pagoda
Ho Chi Minh City Departure
Ho Chi Minh City
Last bowl of pho and a few hours for shopping at Ben Thanh Market or the cafés of District 3. Make your own way to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Grab ~£5-7, bus 152 ~£0.60) for your onward flight.
🚌Grab to airport (~£6) or bus 152 (~£0.60)
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Ben Thanh Market shopping
- →Departure transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport
Self-launched vs. Legend Travel Group
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Legend Travel Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£865 | £897 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £32 per person (4%) | |
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.~£865
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 Vietnam Odyssey: Self-Launched 12-Day Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £865 per person for 12 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 Legend Travel Group?+
Yes — Legend Travel Group charges around £897 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £865 — a saving of roughly £32 (4%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 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 culture, backpacker, budget 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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