Best of Ho Chi Minh City in 4 Days — Self-Launched
4 days · Ho Chi Minh City & the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Legend Travel Group charges £396
No-markup version: ~£156 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Legend Travel Group's 4-day Saigon city, Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta tour. Stay in a District 1 guesthouse or budget hotel within walking distance of the city's main sights, ride the public bus and local ferries, and book the Cu Chi and Mekong day trips directly or on small-group platforms — same landmarks, same river day, no group guide fee or private-vehicle surcharge. Costs below are rough backpacker estimates and exclude international flights and travel insurance.
Day-by-day
Land in Saigon — District 1 on foot
Ho Chi Minh City
Fly into Tan Son Nhat International Airport and take the public bus (route 109 or 152, roughly 20,000–40,000 VND / £1–£1.50) or a Grab bike/car (~£3–£5) into District 1 — you skip the operator's £200+ transfer-and-guide fee entirely. Check into a budget guesthouse near Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao or the Ben Thanh area, then spend the afternoon orienting yourself: Dong Khoi and Nguyen Hue walking street, the Saigon River promenade, and the colonial facades of the Opera House and Notre Dame Cathedral from outside. Catch the sunset from a rooftop bar, then eat street-side banh mi or a bowl of pho for dinner and get an early night before the tunnel day.
🚌Public bus or Grab from Tan Son Nhat Airport (~£1.50–£5); everything on foot in District 1
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in District 1 (approx. £15–£20/night)
- →Airport bus to District 1
- →Independent wander of Nguyen Hue & Dong Khoi
- →Saigon River promenade at sunset
- →Street food dinner (banh mi, pho)
Cu Chi Tunnels half-day + city landmarks
Ho Chi Minh City & Cu Chi
Take a small-group Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour booked ahead on GetYourGuide or Klook (approximately £15–£22 including entrance and a light wartime-style snack — traditionally tapioca and tea). Departures cluster around 8:00am and return to District 1 around 1:30–2:00pm. Back in town, buy the combined ticket for the Reunification Palace (Independence Palace) and its grounds, then walk five minutes to the Central Post Office and the red-brick Notre Dame Cathedral exterior — all three are within a short, flat stroll of each other. Alternatively do the tunnels via public bus 13 from Ben Thanh to Cu Chi town and a local xe om to the gate for the cheapest possible version (~£4 all-in, but slower and less English support).
🚌Shared minibus to Cu Chi as part of the day tour (~£8–£10 of the tour cost); walking in the city centre
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in District 1
- →Cu Chi Tunnels small-group tour (~£15–£22)
- →Reunification Palace entry (~£2)
- →Central Post Office & Notre Dame Cathedral exterior (free)
- →Wartime-style tapioca and tea tasting
Mekong Delta day trip — My Tho & Ben Tre
Ho Chi Minh City & Mekong Delta
Book a small-group Mekong Delta day tour to My Tho and Ben Tre on Klook or GetYourGuide (approximately £20–£30) — this covers the coach out, the boat trip along the Mekong, the islands with coconut-candy workshops and bee farms, Vinh Trang Pagoda, and a lunch of local dishes. Pickups are from District 1 hotels around 7:30–8:00am and you're back by early evening. To go fully independent, take a local bus from Mien Tay station to My Tho (~£2, 1.5 hours) and charter a small boat with a driver at the riverfront (~£12–£18 per boat, split between everyone aboard), then visit Vinh Trang Pagoda yourself — more legwork, but the cheapest route.
🚌Shared coach as part of the day tour, or public bus from Mien Tay station + chartered river boat
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in District 1
- →Mekong River boat trip
- →Coconut candy workshop & bee farm on the islands
- →Vinh Trang Pagoda
- →Local Mekong Delta lunch
Morning market, coffee and departure
Ho Chi Minh City
Spend the morning at Ben Thanh Market for coffee, fruit and last-minute souvenirs, or wander the neighbourhood lanes of District 3 for a proper Vietnamese breakfast. If your flight leaves late, slot in the War Remnants Museum (~£2) or the Fine Arts Museum. Catch the airport bus or a Grab back to Tan Son Nhat with three hours to spare for your flight. If you'd rather add a night, this is an easy city to extend cheaply — a free day here costs around £35–£40.
🚌Public bus or Grab to Tan Son Nhat Airport (~£1.50–£5)
🛏Check out (or extend one more night ~£15–£20)
- →Ben Thanh Market breakfast and shopping
- →Optional War Remnants Museum (~£2)
- →Airport bus to Tan Son Nhat
Self-launched vs. Legend Travel Group
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Legend Travel Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£156 | £396 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £240 per person (61%) | |
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.~£156
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 Best of Ho Chi Minh City in 4 Days — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £156 per person for 4 days in Ho Chi Minh City & the Mekong Delta, 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 £396 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £156 — a saving of roughly £240 (61%) per person.
How long is the Ho Chi Minh City & the Mekong Delta, Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 day-by-day stops through Ho Chi Minh City & the Mekong Delta, 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, budget, foodie trip through Ho Chi Minh City & the Mekong Delta, 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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