Saigon to Phnom Penh: Self-Launched Mekong Delta Discovery (6 Days)

Land at Tan Son Nhat and take a Grab or the 109 airport bus (about £0.50–£1.50) to District 1 — skip the private transfer. Check into a budget hotel or hostel in the Pham Ngu Lao / Bui Vien or District 1 area. Spend the afternoon walking the city at your own pace: Ben Thanh Market, the colonial streets around Dong Khoi, and a sunset beer on a rooftop. Book your Cu Chi Tunnels day trip online this evening (GetYourGuide/Klook group tour, ~£15–£22 including transport) and confirm your onward bus to Vung Tau.

🚌Airport bus 109 or Grab from Tan Son Nhat (~£1–£3)

🛏Budget hotel/hostel, District 1 (e.g. Pham Ngu Lao area), £12–£18

• →Self-guided District 1 walk
• →Ben Thanh Market
• →Book Cu Chi Tunnels group tour online

Morning self-guided walk of the central sights: Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior — under long-term restoration), the Central Post Office, and the Reunification Palace (entry ~£2). After lunch, join a small-group Cu Chi Tunnels tour booked via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£15–£22 including a guide and minibus from District 1) — this is the cheapest way to see the tunnels without a private car. Alternatively, catch bus 13 from Ben Thanh to Cu Chi town and a local motorbike taxi to the site for under £3 return. Back in the city for dinner — try com tam or a banh mi from a street stall (£1.50–£3).

🚌Walking plus included minibus on the Cu Chi tour

🛏Budget hotel/hostel, District 1, £12–£18

• →Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior)
• →Central Post Office
• →Reunification Palace
• →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day small-group tour

Take a Greenlines hydrofoil from Bach Dang pier in District 1 to Vung Tau (~1h15, about £9–£12 each way) or a cheaper local bus from Mien Dong station (~2h, £3–£4). Climb the steps to the Christ the King statue for coastal views, visit the White Palace (Bach Dinh, ~£1.50 entry) and Thich Ca Phat Dai Pagoda, then relax on Back Beach (Bai Sau). Eat seafood at a local quan near the beach (£4–£6). Return to Saigon in the late afternoon by hydrofoil or bus.

🚌Greenlines hydrofoil Saigon–Vung Tau return (~£18–£24) or local bus (~£7)

🛏Budget hotel/hostel, District 1, £12–£18

• →Christ the King Statue
• →White Palace (Bach Dinh)
• →Thich Ca Phat Dai Pagoda
• →Free time at Vung Tau Beach

Take a local bus from Saigon's Mien Tay station to My Tho (~1.5h, £2–£3), then a short xe om or Grab to Vinh Trang Pagoda to see the giant Buddha statues. Book a half-day Ben Tre boat trip directly with a local operator at the pier or via Klook (~£12–£18 pp): motorised boat along the river past stilt houses, a hand-rowed sampan through the coconut canals, honey tea and seasonal fruit with Southern folk music, and a coconut candy family workshop. In the afternoon continue by local bus from Ben Tre/My Tho to Can Tho (~2h, £3–£4). Check into a budget hotel near the river and eat at the night market; a homestay with dinner can be arranged locally for ~£12–£15.

🚌Local bus Saigon–My Tho (~£3) and Ben Tre–Can Tho (~£4)

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse or homestay, Can Tho, £10–£16

• →Vinh Trang Pagoda
• →Ben Tre river boat trip
• →Hand-rowed sampan in coconut canals
• →Honey tea & folk music stop
• →Coconut candy workshop

Be at Ninh Kieu pier by 5:30am and hire a small boat directly with a boatman (~£8–£12 per boat, split between passengers) for the Cai Rang floating market, then a short row-boat detour into the canals. On the way back, look for a rice-noodle (hu tieu) workshop, walk a village lane and cross a bamboo monkey bridge. Take a midday local bus from Can Tho to Chau Doc (~3h, £4–£5) and check in. In the afternoon do a self-booked trip to Tra Su cajuput sanctuary (~£10–£14 by Grab/motorbike plus ~£5 entry and sampan) to see storks and tropical birds at golden hour. Optional extras: Phong Dien market near Can Tho, or Sam Mountain and cave pagoda at sunset if time allows.

🚌Hired boat (~£10 pp shared), local bus Can Tho–Chau Doc (~£5), Grab/motorbike to Tra Su (~£12 return)

🛏Budget guesthouse, Chau Doc, £10–£16

• →Cai Rang floating market by hired boat
• →Village walk & monkey bridge
• →Vermicelli/noodle workshop
• →Tra Su Sanctuary boat tour
• →Optional Sam Mountain & cave pagoda

Pre-book the Chau Doc–Phnom Penh express boat (Hang Chau / Mekong Explorer, ~£20–£28, 5–7 hours depending on water levels) — book online or via your guesthouse a day ahead. The boat handles the Kaam Samnor/Vinh Xuong border crossing; bring your e-visa or visa-on-arrival fee (~£27 for most Western passports, plus small informal fees) and $US cash. Arrive at Phnom Penh's Sisowath Quay and take a tuk-tuk into the centre (~$3–5, ~£2–£4) via PassApp or Grab. Note: the operator's listing is inconsistent about ending at Tan Son Nhat airport, but the actual tour finishes in Phnom Penh — plan onward travel or a night there accordingly.

🚌Express boat Chau Doc–Phnom Penh (~£24) plus tuk-tuk (~£3)

🛏Not included (budget guesthouse in Phnom Penh ~£8–£15 if staying on)

• →Expedition boat across the Mekong to Cambodia
• →Border crossing at Kaam Samnor
• →Arrive Phnom Penh riverside