Epic Southeast Asia: River Cruises & Karst Mountains (Self-Launched)

Land at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang and take the Airport Rail Link (45 THB / ~£1) or a Grab to a hostel around Khao San or the Old City. Complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online before you fly. Spend the evening walking to Sanam Luang and Wat Saket (Golden Mount) for sunset, then eat at a streetside stall on Soi Rambuttri. Download the Grab app and Bolt — they'll be your rideshare default across Thailand and Vietnam.

🚌Airport Rail Link ~£1, walking

🛏Hostel dorm, Old City / Khao San area (~£8-12)

• →Airport Rail Link into the city
• →Golden Mount sunset viewpoint
• →Khao San Road street food walk

Cheapest reliable route: an overnight bus or early minivan to the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border then on to Siem Reap, or a direct budget flight (~£45-70 on AirAsia/Thai Vietjet) which saves a full day. Get your Cambodia e-visa (~£28) or visa on arrival (~£24 + photos) and complete the Cambodia e-Arrival form within 7 days of travel. Arrive at a Siem Reap hostel near Pub Street, then walk the night market and Riverside for dinner.

🚌Minivan/overnight bus Bangkok–Siem Reap ~£20, or flight ~£55

🛏Hostel dorm near Pub Street (~£8-12)

• →Border crossing at Poipet (or budget flight)
• →Night market and Pub Street wander

Book a shared tuk-tuk driver the night before (~£15-18 for a full small-circuit day, split between 2-4 people) and buy the Angkor pass at the ticket office — one day is ~£30. Start at Angkor Wat for sunrise, then Bayon's face towers and tree-strangled Ta Prohm. A licensed guide is ~£35 for the day if you want the history — otherwise read up on the way. Lunch at a planeterra-style social enterprise restaurant or any local Khmer kitchen. Evening: Phare Circus show (~£14) if you fancy it.

🚌Shared tuk-tuk ~£6 pp

🛏Hostel dorm near Pub Street (~£8-12)

• →Angkor Wat sunrise
• →Bayon temple
• →Ta Prohm
• →Khmer lunch
• →Optional Phare Circus

Take a Giant Ibis or Virak Buntham VIP minibus (5.5-6 hrs, ~£11) or the local bus (~£7). Check into a hostel around Street 172 or the Riverside, then do a self-guided orientation walk past the Royal Palace railings and along Sisowath Quay at sunset. Dinner on Street 308 or a night market.

🚌VIP minibus Siem Reap–Phnom Penh ~£11

🛏Hostel dorm, Riverside (~£7-10)

• →Self-guided riverside walk
• →Night market dinner

Do the sobering Tuol Sleng (S-21) and Choeung Ek Killing Fields — book a half-day tuk-tuk tour on GetYourGuide or Klook (~£18-22 incl. entry and audio guide). Afternoon: Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (~£8). Evening: a self-led street food crawl around Psar Thmei and Street 130 — num pang, lort cha, Cambodian BBQ and cheap draught beer.

🚌Tuk-tuk ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm, Riverside (~£7-10)

• →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
• →Killing Fields of Choeung Ek
• →Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
• →Street food crawl

Bus to Sihanoukville (~£8, 4-5 hrs) then the speed ferry to Koh Rong (~£10-12 one way). You don't need a private beach — the stretch from Koh Touch to Long Set Beach is free and gorgeous. Book a beachfront bungalow or dorm (~£10-18). Swim, eat grilled seafood on the sand, and stay for the bioluminescent plankton after dark.

🚌Bus ~£8 + ferry ~£11

🛏Beach bungalow or dorm, Koh Rong (~£12-18)

• →Speed ferry to Koh Rong
• →Long Set Beach swim
• →Bioluminescent plankton

Hire a kayak (~£5/day) or hike the jungle trail to Sok San village on the far side of the island. Snorkel Safari trips run from Koh Touch (~£12-15). Otherwise: hammock, book, cheap smoothies, and a sunset beer at one of the beach bars. Cash only — there are few ATMs on the island.

🚌On foot

🛏Beach bungalow or dorm (~£12-18)

• →Kayaking
• →Jungle hike to Sok San
• →Snorkelling trip (optional)

Ferry back to Sihanoukville, bus toward Kampong Speu/Chisok, then a moto or tuk-tuk to Chambok village — a community-based eco-tourism project. Book directly through the Chambok CBET office (~£8-12 homestay incl. dinner and breakfast). Walk to the waterfall and butterfly farm, and eat a home-cooked Khmer dinner with your host family. This is the DIY equivalent of the tour's homestay night.

🚌Bus + moto ~£12

🛏Village homestay, shared (~£10)

• →Community homestay
• →Chambok waterfall walk
• →Home-cooked Khmer dinner

Head to the Bavet/Moc Bai border crossing (bus + shared taxi or the through minivan service, ~£15-20). Get your Vietnam e-visa in advance — it's not available on arrival. Check into a District 1 backpacker hostel (~£8-12). Evening: Ben Thanh Market for souvenirs, then a rooftop bar on Nguyen Hue walking street for the skyline.

🚌Minivan + shared taxi ~£18

🛏Hostel dorm, District 1 (~£8-12)

• →Bavet–Moc Bai border crossing
• →Ben Thanh Market
• →Rooftop bar night

Walk the city yourself: Notre-Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, the War Remnants Museum (~£2), Reunification Palace (~£2), and a loop of District 1 and Cholon. Eat a banh mi and a bowl of pho. Tonight take the Reunification Express sleeper to Nha Trang — soft sleeper (~£22-28, ~8 hrs) — book on the official Vietnam Railways site or 12Go Asia.

🚌Reunification Express ~£25

🛏Sleeper train, soft-sleeper berth (~£25)

• →War Remnants Museum
• →Reunification Palace
• →Bui Vien evening
• →Overnight train

Arrive early and check into a guesthouse a few streets back from the beach (~£9-12). Morning: swim at Tran Phu beach and browse Dam Market. Afternoon: a mud bath and hot spring at Thap Ba or I-Resort (~£12 through Klook). Evening: seafood street food crawl around the night market — grilled scallops, nem nuong and cheap bia hoi.

🚌Walking + Grab

🛏Guesthouse, Nha Trang (~£10)

• →Tran Phu beach
• →Dam Market
• →Mud bath & hot springs
• →Street food crawl

Morning free for the beach or a snorkelling boat trip (~£22 on Klook). Afternoon train up the coast (the section north of Nha Trang is spectacular) into Da Nang — soft seat or sleeper, ~£12-18. Overnight in Da Nang near My Khe beach or head straight on to Hoi An by Grab (~£6).

🚌Train Nha Trang–Da Nang ~£15

🛏Guesthouse/hostel, Da Nang or Hoi An (~£9-13)

• →Beach morning or snorkelling
• →Coastal train ride

Take the local bus or Grab from Da Nang (~£1-5). Check into a hostel in the Old Town or on An Bang beach side. Buy an Old Town ticket (~£5) for the assembly halls, Japanese Covered Bridge and Tan Ky ancestral house. Afternoon: cycle to An Bang or Cua Dai beach. Evening: lanterns on the Thu Bon river, a boat ride (~£4) and dinner at a Cao Lau stall.

🚌Local bus/Grab ~£4

🛏Hostel, Hoi An (~£9-13)

• →Hoi An Old Town walk
• →Japanese Covered Bridge
• →An Bang beach cycle
• →Thu Bon river boat

Book a half-day Vietnamese cooking class with a market visit (~£22-28 direct with a local school, or via Klook) — you'll make cao lau, white rose dumplings and fresh spring rolls. Afternoon free for tailor shops or the beach. Evening: the best DIY version of a street food crawl is around Hoi An market and Nguyen Truong To street — banh vac, com ga and a che dessert.

🚌Walking/bicycle

🛏Hostel, Hoi An (~£9-13)

• →Market visit cooking class
• →Cao lau & white rose tasting
• →Old Town street food crawl

The classic move: a one-way motorbike 'Easy Rider' transfer from Hoi An to Hue over the Hai Van Pass, stopping at Marble Mountains, Lang Co beach and the fishing village (~£28-35 with a driver-guide, book via a Hoi An travel shop or GetYourGuide). Alternatively take the train (~£5) — the stretch past Lang Co is one of Vietnam's best rail views. Check into a hostel on the south bank of the Perfume River.

🚌Easy Rider motorbike ~£32 (or train ~£5)

🛏Hostel, Hue (~£8-12)

• →Hai Van Pass motorbike ride
• →Marble Mountains
• →Lang Co beach stop

Hire a bicycle (~£3) or take a Grab and explore the Imperial Citadel (~£4), Thien Mu Pagoda, and the tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh (~£4 each). Lunch on bun bo Hue — the city's signature dish. Sunset: Perfume River dragon boat (~£4). Get an early night; tomorrow is a long travel day.

🚌Bicycle hire ~£3

🛏Hostel, Hue (~£8-12)

• →Imperial Citadel
• →Thien Mu Pagoda
• →Royal tombs by bicycle
• →Perfume River cruise

Bus or shared van north to Phong Nha (~£10-14, 4 hrs). Book a dorm at Easy Tiger or a local homestay (~£8-12). Spend the afternoon cycling the village lanes and swimming in the river. Arrange a cave tour for tomorrow — Paradise Cave with boardwalk access (~£16) or the more adventurous Dark Cave zipline-and-kayak combo (~£22).

🚌Bus ~£12

🛏Hostel/homestay, Phong Nha (~£10)

• →Cycling Phong Nha village
• →River swim

Morning tour of Paradise Cave — 31km long, with huge white crystal stalactites along a 1km boardwalk (entry ~£10 plus transport ~£6). Afternoon option: the Botanical Garden trail or a boat into Phong Nha Cave itself (~£8). If you're a confident swimmer and have a spare day, consider swapping in a Hang Va or Tu Lan day trek (from ~£65) for the region's best adventure caving.

🚌Shared tour transfer ~£6

🛏Hostel/homestay, Phong Nha (~£10)

• →Paradise Cave
• →Phong Nha Cave by boat
• →Botanical Garden trail

Daytime in Phong Nha: kayak the river or hike. Take the overnight sleeper bus to Hanoi (~£16-20, 9-10 hrs, book on 12Go Asia). Hanoi hostels in the Old Quarter run ~£8-12; most allow early check-in. Sort your Ha Long Bay day trip for tomorrow through your hostel or Klook.

🚌Overnight bus ~£18

🛏Sleeper bus (~£18) + Hanoi hostel

• →Kayaking
• →Overnight sleeper bus

Orientation walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature (~£2), Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake, and the narrow lanes of the Old Quarter. Coffee on Train Street (check current access rules). Evening: a Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre show (~£7) and a bia hoi corner session with a bowl of bun cha.

🚌Walking + Grab

🛏Hostel, Old Quarter (~£8-12)

• →Hoan Kiem Lake
• →Temple of Literature
• →Tran Quoc Pagoda
• →Water puppet show

Book a day boat with kayaking and seafood lunch (~£40-55 via Klook or a Hanoi operator), or push the budget slightly for an overnight on a junk or a night on Cat Ba island. Note: the tour's version is a day cruise, so a standard day trip is a fair match. Kayak among the karsts, visit a cave, and watch the limestone towers at sunset.

🚌Included in day trip

🛏Hostel, Hanoi or Cat Ba (~£10-16)

• →Junk boat cruise
• →Sea kayaking
• →Cave visit
• →Seafood lunch

Cheapest: overnight sleeper bus Hanoi–Vientiane (~£28-35, ~22 hrs). Faster: fly Vietjet/AirAsia (~£55-75). Most nationalities can get a Laos e-visa in advance (~£28) or visa on arrival ($30-40 USD cash + photo). Complete the Laos immigration card online within 3 days of arrival if flying. Sleep it off in a Vientiane guesthouse (~£10-14).

🚌Sleeper bus ~£30 (or flight ~£65)

🛏Guesthouse, Vientiane (~£12)

• →Overland crossing or short flight to Laos

Morning: Patuxai monument, Pha That Luang (~£1) and Buddha Park (~£1 + bus). Then the minivan north to Vang Vieng (~£5-7, 3-4 hrs). Check into a bungalow or hostel with a river view (~£8-14) and take in the sunset over the karsts from a riverside bar.

🚌Minivan ~£6

🛏Bungalow/hostel, Vang Vieng (~£11)

• →Pha That Luang
• →Buddha Park
• →Sunset over the karsts

Rent a bicycle or scooter (~£5-8) and ride the loop to Blue Lagoon 1 and 3, Pha Ngern viewpoint and the Tham Chang cave. Or do the classic river tubing (~£7 incl. tube and pickup). Evening: the town's famous riverside bars and nightlife — the DIY 'big night out' moment.

🚌Scooter/bicycle hire ~£7

🛏Bungalow/hostel, Vang Vieng (~£11)

• →River tubing
• →Blue Lagoon swim
• →Tham Chang cave
• →Pha Ngern viewpoint hike

The minivan route (or the new high-speed train, ~£12-15, 1 hr — note the 20kg luggage limit and no aerosols/vapes at security) takes you through mountain scenery to Luang Prabang. Check into a guesthouse in the old town peninsula (~£10-16). Evening: the night market on Sisavangvong Road and a Beerlao by the Mekong.

🚌Minivan ~£9 or high-speed train ~£14

🛏Guesthouse, Luang Prabang (~£13)

• →Mountain road or high-speed train
• →Night market

Early riser's option: the alms-giving ceremony at dawn (watch respectfully from a distance; buy sticky rice from a licensed seller, not a tout). Then share a songthaew to Kuang Si Falls (~£5-7 pp return, entry ~£2) — swim in the turquoise lower pools but don't jump from the top, it's genuinely dangerous. Afternoon: Wat Xieng Thong (~£2) and Mount Phousi for sunset (~£2).

🚌Shared songthaew ~£6

🛏Guesthouse, Luang Prabang (~£13)

• →Kuang Si Falls swim
• →Wat Xieng Thong
• →Mount Phousi sunset
• →Dawn alms-giving (optional)

The slow boat to Thailand is the trip's signature journey — two days down the Mekong from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai. Book through a Luang Prabang travel agent (~£28-35 for both days, with a night in Pakbeng between). The first day ends at Pakbeng; find a cheap guesthouse (~£8-12) and eat with a local family at a riverside kitchen.

🚌Slow boat ~£15 (half of return fare)

🛏Guesthouse, Pakbeng (~£10)

• →Mekong slow boat day 1
• →Village stops
• →Pakbeng riverside evening

Second slow-boat day to Huay Xai, then cross the Friendship Bridge IV into Chiang Khong, Thailand. From there a bus to Chiang Rai (~£4, 2 hrs) or an overnight bus to Chiang Mai (~£8-10, 4-5 hrs). Thailand gives most nationalities a 30-day visa exemption by air, but only 15 days overland — plan around that, or apply for a visa in advance if you're here for longer.

🚌Slow boat + bus ~£18

🛏Guesthouse, Chiang Mai (~£10-14)

• →Mekong slow boat day 2
• →Laos–Thailand border crossing
• →Night bus to Chiang Mai

Walk or cycle the Old City moat, visiting Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh (~£2 each). Afternoon: a Thai massage (~£7-10). Evening: the Saturday or Sunday Walking Street market — graze your way through khao soi, sai ua sausage and mango sticky rice.

🚌Cycle hire ~£3

🛏Guesthouse, Chiang Mai (~£11)

• →Wat Chedi Luang
• →Wat Phra Singh
• →Walking Street market
• →Thai massage

Book a half-day cooking class with a local market visit (~£22-28 direct with a Chiang Mai school or via Klook) — you'll make khao soi, green curry and laab. The market tour is half the fun. Afternoon free: Doi Suthep temple by songthaew from the north gate (~£1.50 each way + £1 entry), or lounge by the hostel pool.

🚌Songthaew ~£3

🛏Guesthouse, Chiang Mai (~£11)

• →Market visit cooking class
• →Doi Suthep temple (optional)

Book a 2-day/1-night hilltribe trek from a Chiang Mai agency (~£55-70 incl. transport, guide, meals, homestay) — the DIY-friendly equivalent of the tour's included trek. Hike through jungle, cross streams, and stay overnight in a Karen or Hmong village. Pack a small daypack; your main bag stays at the guesthouse.

🚌Songthaew transfer (included)

🛏Hilltribe village hut, shared (~included in trek)

• →Jungle trekking
• →Village homestay
• →Waterfall swim

Second morning of trekking, then bamboo rafting down the river back toward Chiang Mai (~included in most trek packages). Return to the city for a hot shower. Evening: celebrate with a rooftop beer and cheap street food around the moat — the DIY 'Chiang Mai celebration'.

🚌Songthaew return (included)

🛏Guesthouse, Chiang Mai (~£11)

• →Trekking
• →Bamboo rafting
• →Riverside night out

Spend the day cycling or catching up on laundry. Evening: board the overnight sleeper train to Bangkok (~£25-32 for second class, book on the Thai Railways site or 12Go Asia, 12-13 hrs) — book early in high season. Arrive refreshed is optimistic, but you save a hotel night.

🚌Overnight train ~£28

🛏Sleeper train berth (~£28)

• →Free afternoon
• →Overnight sleeper train

Do the canals yourself: take the Chao Phraya Express Boat (~£1) and hire a longtail boat from Tha Chang for a one-hour Thonburi khlong tour (~£12-15 split between 2-4 people). Then the Grand Palace and Wat Po (~£25 combined, dress modestly). Sunset at Wat Arun. Evening: Chinatown (Yaowarat) street food — one of the best food crawls in Southeast Asia.

🚌River boats ~£4

🛏Hostel, Old City (~£9-13)

• →Longtail khlong tour
• →Grand Palace
• →Wat Po & Wat Arun
• →Yaowarat street food crawl

Overnight bus or train-plus-bus south to Surat Thani (~£15-20), then a minivan to Khao Sok village (~£5). Book a lakeside raft house on Cheow Lan Lake for tomorrow night (~£25-35 incl. boat transfer and meals) — this is the DIY match for the tour's lake excursion. Tonight, stay in a jungle bungalow in the village (~£10-15) and do a short hike.

🚌Bus + minivan ~£22

🛏Jungle bungalow, Khao Sok (~£12)

• →Overnight transport south
• →Khao Sok village walk

Join a longtail boat out onto Cheow Lan Lake (~included in most raft house packages), kayak between the limestone karsts, and swim in the emerald water. Hike to a cave or a jungle viewpoint. Night on the raft house with a simple Thai dinner — one of the most striking places in southern Thailand.

🚌Longtail boat (included)

🛏Lake raft house, shared (~£28 incl. meals)

• →Longtail boat on the lake
• →Kayaking
• →Cave hike
• →Lake raft house night

Back to the mainland and take the bus/ferry combo to Koh Pha Ngan (~£20-26, Lomprayah or Seatran, 5-6 hrs). Base yourself at Haad Rin or Haad Yao depending on your vibe (~£10-18 for a fan bungalow or hostel). Sunset swim and a beach bar.

🚌Bus + ferry ~£23

🛏Beach bungalow/hostel, Koh Pha Ngan (~£14)

• →Island ferry crossing
• →Beach sunset

Hike or scoot to Bottle Beach for a quiet swimming cove, or walk to the Than Sadet waterfall on the east coast (~£1 entry). Yoga classes run everywhere (~£8-12). If a Full Moon Party happens to fall tonight, Haad Rin delivers — otherwise a quieter beach bar on the north coast is the better call.

🚌Scooter hire ~£6

🛏Beach bungalow/hostel (~£14)

• →Waterfall hike
• →Bottle Beach swim
• →Yoga class (optional)

Short ferry hop to Koh Tao (~£7-10). Book a full-day snorkelling or Discover Scuba Diving trip on GetYourGuide or Klook (~£20-28 for snorkelling, ~£45-55 for a 2-dive intro) — the tour's final included activity. Finish at Sairee Beach with a Beer Thai and a sunset. Ferries back to the mainland and onward to Bangkok or Surat Thani airport run daily for your departure.

🚌Ferry ~£9

🛏Hostel/bungalow, Koh Tao (~£12-18)

• →Full-day snorkelling trip
• →Sairee Beach sunset