Laos on a Shoestring — Self-Launched
10 days · Laos, Vietnam & Northern Thailand
G Adventures charges £1,049
No-markup version: ~£655 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, budget-first version of G Adventures' 10-day "Laos on a Shoestring" (trip code AVHL): Hanoi street food, a budget flight to Vientiane, limestone karsts and caves in Vang Vieng, the temples and alms-giving rituals of Luang Prabang, a two-day Mekong slow boat with a village homestay at Pak Beng, then overland into Thailand for Chiang Mai's night market and Doi Suthep. You book it all yourself — cheap flights, VIP buses, public slow boats, hostels and guesthouses — and travel it on roughly backpacker rates. Costs are realistic 2024/25 estimates and everything except visa fees and your international flights is included in the total.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter & street food crawl
Hanoi, Vietnam
Land at Noi Bai and take the local bus 86 (about 35,000 VND / £1.20) or a Grab car (~£7-8) into the Old Quarter. Check into a hostel dorm around Ma May or Ta Hien. In the evening do your own street food crawl: bun cha on Hang Manh, banh cuon, egg coffee at Cafe Giang and a bia hoi corner pint for under £1. If you're in town early, walk Hoan Kiem Lake and see the Temple of Literature (£1) or Tran Quoc Pagoda (free) — no need to pay for a guide.
🚌Airport bus 86 ~£1.20, walking
🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm (e.g. Vietnam Backpacker Hostels area), £7-9
- →Self-guided Old Quarter street food crawl
- →Hoan Kiem Lake evening walk
- →Bia hoi corner
Fly Hanoi → Vientiane, Laos' sleepy capital
Vientiane, Laos
Book a morning direct flight with VietJet Air, Lao Airlines or AirAsia (booked 4-8 weeks ahead these run £45-70 one way; the cheapest routings go via Bangkok if you're flexible). Get your Laos visa on arrival at Wattay Airport — bring two passport photos and about US$40-50 in crisp notes (this varies by nationality, so check yours). Afternoon: rent a bicycle (£2) and tick off That Luang golden stupa (£1), Patuxai and Wat Sisaket (£1). Sunset beer on the Mekong promenade opposite Thailand.
🚌VietJet/Lao Airlines flight Hanoi–Vientiane ~£55 one way
🛏Vientiane guesthouse near Nam Phu fountain, £10-12
- →Pha That Luang
- →Patuxai monument
- →Wat Sisaket
- →Mekong sunset promenade
Vientiane → Vang Vieng — karst country
Vang Vieng, Laos
Take a VIP minibus or the local bus from Vientiane's Northern Bus Station to Vang Vieng (~3.5 hrs, 60,000-100,000 kip / £5-9). Check into a riverside guesthouse or hostel. Afternoon is free for the classic Vang Vieng trio: hire a bike (£3), cycle to Tham Chang cave (£1 entry) and swim in the river. Watch the sun drop behind the limestone karsts from a riverside bar with a Beerlao (~£1.50).
🚌VIP minibus Vientiane–Vang Vieng ~£6
🛏Vang Vieng riverside guesthouse, £9-12
- →Bicycle hire
- →Tham Chang cave
- →River swimming
- →Sunset over the karsts
Vang Vieng free day — caves, lagoons, viewpoints
Vang Vieng, Laos
Full self-launched adventure day. Best combo: rent a scooter or bicycle and do Blue Lagoon 1 or 3 (£1 entry), Tham Phu Kham cave and the Nam Xay viewpoint hike (45 min up, £1, absurdly good views). Book any of these through your guesthouse the night before — no tour operator needed. Tuk-tuk to lagooons runs £3-5 return. Evening: night market noodles and a riverside sunset.
🚌Bicycle or scooter hire £4-6
🛏Vang Vieng riverside guesthouse, £9-12
- →Nam Xay viewpoint hike
- →Tham Phu Kham cave
- →Blue Lagoon swim
Vang Vieng → Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang, Laos
Morning VIP bus or minibus over the mountains to Luang Prabang (~6-7 hrs, £10-14). The scenery is excellent; sit on the left. Arrive mid-afternoon, check into a guesthouse inside the UNESCO old town (a block or two off Sisavangvong Road keeps prices at £12-15). Do your own orientation wander: Wat Xieng Thong (£2), the Mekong–Khan river confluence and the Phousi Hill steps (£1.50) for sunset. The night market on Sisavangvong Road is dinner — grilled fish and Lao sausage for £2-3.
🚌VIP bus Vang Vieng–Luang Prabang ~£12
🛏Luang Prabang old-town guesthouse, £12-15
- →Wat Xieng Thong
- →Phousi Hill sunset
- →Luang Prabang night market
Luang Prabang — alms, waterfalls, cooking class
Luang Prabang, Laos
Set an alarm: the tak bat alms-giving procession starts around 5:45-6:15am on Sisavangvong Road. Watch respectfully from a distance rather than buying rice from the tourist stalls. Then a full day out: share a songthaew to Kuang Si Falls (about £4-6 return per person, plus £2 entry) and swim in the turquoise pools — go early before the crowds and don't jump from the top tiers. Afternoon back in town: take a half-day Lao cooking class booked directly (£15-20, includes market visit) or visit Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre (free). Sunset and dinner at the night market.
🚌Shared songthaew to Kuang Si ~£5 return
🛏Luang Prabang old-town guesthouse, £12-15
- →Tak bat alms-giving at dawn
- →Kuang Si Falls day trip
- →Half-day Lao cooking class
- →Ock Pop Tok crafts centre
Mekong slow boat to Pak Beng — village homestay
Pak Beng (Muang Pakbèng), Laos
Buy your slow boat ticket the day before at the pier office (or through your guesthouse) — the two-day Luang Prabang–Huay Xai public slow boat runs about 250,000-300,000 kip (~£10-12) for the full journey, plus a small overnight fee at Pak Beng. The first leg leaves ~8:30am and takes 6-7 hrs, arriving in Pak Beng late afternoon. Book a basic riverside guesthouse (£6-8) — or, to replicate the original's homestay night, ask your guesthouse or the boat crew to arrange a village homestay in the area in advance (pay £8-12 direct, including dinner). Eat with your host family and skip the tourist restaurants.
🚌Public slow boat day 1 ~£6
🛏Riverside guesthouse or village homestay, £6-12
- →Mekong slow boat river journey
- →Village homestay dinner
Slow boat to Huay Xai, cross into Thailand
Huay Xai / Chiang Khong, Thailand
Second boat leg leaves Pak Beng around 9am and reaches Huay Xai at the Laos-Thailand border in early evening (~6 hrs). Take the shuttle bus across the friendship bridge (about 20-50 baht) and clear Thai immigration at Chiang Khong — check the current Thai entry rules for your passport before you go. Stay in a cheap Chiang Khong guesthouse overlooking the Mekong (£8-10) and reward yourself with a £5 Thai massage and a riverside dinner.
🚌Slow boat day 2 ~£5, border shuttle ~£1
🛏Chiang Khong guesthouse, £8-10
- →Second Mekong boat leg
- →Laos–Thailand border crossing
- →Thai massage
Chiang Khong → Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Take a local bus or minivan from Chiang Khong to Chiang Rai (~2 hrs, £3) and connect to the Green Bus or VIP bus up to Chiang Mai (~3 hrs, £6-8) — total travel day around 6 hrs, or book a direct minivan for ~£12. Check into a hostel in the old city moat area (£7-9). Evening: walk the Sunday/Walking Street night market or the Night Bazaar, eat khao soi for £1.50-2, and if you like, book a Thai boxing ticket at Thapae Boxing Stadium (~£8-12, pay at the gate) — or the next morning's cooking class instead.
🚌Bus Chiang Khong–Chiang Rai–Chiang Mai ~£9-12
🛏Chiang Mai old city hostel, £7-9
- →Chiang Mai night market
- →Khao soi street dinner
- →Optional Thai boxing at Thapae Stadium
Chiang Mai — Doi Suthep & fly out
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Get up early and take a red songthaew from the north gate (Chang Phueak) up to Doi Suthep — about 60 baht each way shared, plus 30 baht entry (£2 total) — for the temple and city views before the tour buses arrive. If you have a late flight, squeeze in a half-day Northern Thai cooking class booked direct (£18-22) or the Elephant Nature Park day trip (book well ahead). Chiang Mai airport is 15 minutes from the old city by songthaew/Grab (~£3).
🚌Songthaew to Doi Suthep ~£1.50, Grab to airport ~£3
🛏Departure day (no night included)
- →Doi Suthep temple & viewpoint
- →Optional Northern Thai cooking class
- →Old city temple walk
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£655 | £1,049 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £394 per person (38%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£655
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 Laos on a Shoestring — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £655 per person for 10 days in Laos, Vietnam & Northern Thailand. 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 £1,049 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £655 — a saving of roughly £394 (38%) per person.
How long is the Laos, Vietnam & Northern Thailand trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Laos, Vietnam & Northern Thailand.
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 budget, backpacker, culture trip through Laos, Vietnam & Northern Thailand, 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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