Scenic Thailand & Vietnam: Self-Launched 13-Day Adventure
13 days · Thailand & Vietnam
Realistic Asia charges £1,490
No-markup version: ~£750 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on Realistic Asia's 13-day Bangkok–Chiang Rai–Chiang Mai–Hanoi–Halong Bay–Ho Chi Minh City route. Same temples, karst bays, night markets and Mekong canals — but you book your own guesthouses, hop cheap domestic flights and night trains, join day tours via Klook/GetYourGuide and eat where the locals do, for a fraction of the tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Bangkok — Khao San Road & Riverside
Bangkok, Thailand
Land at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and take the Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai (~£1) or the A1 bus to Khao San (~£1). Check into a guesthouse near Khao San Road or the Old Town. Spend the evening wandering the Old Town, eating street food on Rambuttri Alley and watching the sunset over Wat Arun from the river.
🚌Airport Rail Link + bus, ~£1.50
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Banglamphu or Old Town, ~£14
- →Old Town wander
- →Wat Arun sunset from riverside
- →Khao San Road street food
Grand Palace, Wat Pho & Wat Traimit
Bangkok, Thailand
Do the big-three temple circuit independently: Wat Traimit in Chinatown (solid gold Buddha, 100 baht), the Grand Palace & Emerald Buddha (500 baht — arrive by 8:30am to beat crowds and heat), then Wat Pho (200 baht) for the 45m reclining Buddha. Cross the river by ferry (4 baht) to Wat Arun if energy allows. Wear long trousers and covered shoulders. Book tickets directly at the gate — no agent needed.
🚌Chao Phraya Express Boat + walking, ~£2
🛏Guesthouse in Banglamphu, ~£14
- →Wat Traimit
- →Grand Palace & Emerald Buddha
- →Wat Pho reclining Buddha
- →Wat Arun (optional)
Fly Bangkok to Chiang Rai — White Temple
Chiang Rai, Thailand
Morning flight from Don Mueang (DMK) to Chiang Rai (CEI) with AirAsia/Nok Air, ~£30–45 booked in advance. Check in near the night bazaar. Take a local songthaew or Grab (~£4) 13km north to Wat Rong Khun (White Temple, 100 baht) in the afternoon light. Back in town, visit Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Phra Singh, then hire a trishaw for a sunset loop of the old town and grab dinner at the Chiang Rai Night Bazaar.
🚌Domestic flight ~£35 + songthaew ~£4
🛏Guesthouse near Chiang Rai night bazaar, ~£14
- →Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)
- →Wat Phra Kaew
- →Wat Phra Singh
- →Chiang Rai Night Bazaar
Golden Triangle & Chiang Mai by Bus
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Take an early local bus or songthaew from Chiang Rai to Chiang Saen–Sop Ruak (Golden Triangle viewpoint, ~£1.50), stopping at the Hall of Opium museum (200 baht). Afterwards take the local bus south to Chiang Mai (Green Bus, ~3.5hrs, ~£4). Settle into a guesthouse inside the Old Town moat and eat khao soi for dinner.
🚌Local buses ~£6 total
🛏Guesthouse in Old Town Chiang Mai, ~£13
- →Golden Triangle viewpoint at Sop Ruak
- →Hall of Opium museum
- →Old Town evening wander
Chiang Mai — Ethical Elephant Sanctuary & Doi Suthep
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Book a half-day ethical elephant sanctuary visit directly (Elephant Jungle Sanctuary or Elephant Nature Park half-day, ~£50–65 including pickup, feeding, mud spa and lunch) — book direct to skip the operator's USD 160 markup. Afternoon: songthaew up to Doi Suthep temple (~£3) for panoramic views, then the Sunday Walking Street or Night Bazaar for dinner.
🚌Songthaew to Doi Suthep ~£3 (sanctuary pickup included)
🛏Guesthouse in Old Town Chiang Mai, ~£13
- →Half-day elephant sanctuary visit
- →Doi Suthep temple
- →Chiang Mai Walking Street market
Fly to Hanoi — Old Quarter Arrival
Hanoi, Vietnam
Fly Chiang Mai to Hanoi (no direct budget route always available — common options are via Bangkok or a direct AirAsia/Vietjet service; budget ~£60–90 booked ahead). Take the express bus 86 or Grab from Noi Bai airport to the Old Quarter (~£1.50–4). Evening: bia hoi corner, bun cha dinner and a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake to see the lights.
🚌Flight ~£75 + airport bus ~£2
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Old Quarter, ~£13
- →Old Quarter walk
- →Hoan Kiem Lake at night
- →Bia hoi corner
- →Bun cha dinner
Hanoi — Ho Chi Minh Complex & Temple of Literature
Hanoi, Vietnam
Self-walk the classic Hanoi circuit: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and house on stilts (free, closed Mon & Fri mornings — arrive early), One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake, then the Museum of Ethnology (~£2), Temple of Literature (~£1.50) and Ngoc Son Temple at Hoan Kiem Lake. Optional: a £4 cyclo ride and a £5 water puppet show at Thang Long theatre booked direct.
🚌Walking + occasional Grab, ~£3
🛏Guesthouse in Old Quarter, ~£13
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & stilt house
- →One Pillar Pagoda
- →Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Museum of Ethnology
- →Temple of Literature
- →Ngoc Son Temple
- →Water puppet show (optional)
Halong Bay Overnight Cruise
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Book a budget overnight Halong Bay cruise via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£85–110 incl. transfers, all meals, kayaking and cave visit) — this is the big money-saver versus the operator's private-cruise inclusion. Shuttle pickup from Old Quarter ~8am, board a junk boat, kayak through karst grottoes, swim, and watch sunset from the sundeck with dinner and squid fishing.
🚌Shuttle bus from Hanoi included in cruise
🛏Overnight junk boat cabin (twin share), included in cruise price
- →Halong Bay cruise
- →Kayaking through karst grottoes
- →Limestone cave visit
- →Squid fishing & sunset on deck
Halong Bay to Hanoi — Cave & Back
Hanoi, Vietnam
Sunrise tai chi on deck, then a final limestone cave visit before brunch on board and the shuttle back to Hanoi (~4pm arrival). Evening free — grab egg coffee at Cafe Giang and street-food hop around Dong Xuan market.
🚌Shuttle included; walking in town
🛏Guesthouse in Old Quarter, ~£13
- →Sunrise on the bay
- →Limestone cave with stalactites
- →Egg coffee at Cafe Giang
- →Dong Xuan night market
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City — District 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Morning flight Hanoi to Saigon with Vietjet/Bamboo (~£40–60 booked ahead). Take bus 109 or Grab from Tan Son Nhat to District 1 (~£1–3). Afternoon: walk Dong Khoi, the Notre Dame Cathedral exterior and Central Post Office, then the War Remnants Museum (~£1.50). Evening on Bui Vien walking street or a rooftop for skyline views.
🚌Flight ~£50 + airport bus ~£1.50
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in District 1, ~£14
- →Central Post Office & Notre Dame Cathedral
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Dong Khoi Street
- →Bui Vien walking street
Mekong Delta Day Trip — My Tho & Ben Tre
Mekong Delta / Ho Chi Minh City
Join a small-group Mekong Delta day tour booked on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£22–30 incl. transport, boat rides, fruit, honey tea, folk music and lunch) to My Tho/Ben Tre. Cruise the Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Tortoise islands, paddle a hand-rowed sampan down Thoi Son canal, cycle Tan Thach village and stop at a coconut-candy workshop. Back in Saigon by ~6pm.
🚌Tour minibus included (~£25 total with tour)
🛏Budget hotel in District 1, ~£14
- →Sampan cruise around the four islands
- →Unicorn Island orchards & folk music
- →Hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal
- →Cycle Tan Thach village
- →Honey-bee farm & coconut workshop
Cu Chi Tunnels Half-Day
Cu Chi / Ho Chi Minh City
Half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£15–20 including transport and guide) or take local bus 13 to the tunnels and pay the 35,000 VND entry yourself for a cheaper DIY version. Crawl the tunnels, try manioc with salt and chilli, and optionally fire an AK47 at the range (~£1/bullet). Afternoon free for Ben Thanh market and a final pho dinner.
🚌Tour bus or local bus 13, ~£2–18
🛏Budget hotel in District 1, ~£14
- →Cu Chi Tunnels tour
- →Manioc tasting
- →Optional shooting range
- →Ben Thanh market
Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Breakfast at the hotel, last-minute souvenir shopping at Ben Thanh or the post office, then bus 109 or Grab to Tan Son Nhat airport (~£1–3) for your flight home.
🚌Airport bus/Grab ~£2
🛏—
- →Souvenir shopping
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Realistic Asia
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Realistic Asia | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£750 | £1,490 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £740 per person (50%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Realistic Asia-style trips? Check them out here.~£750
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 Scenic Thailand & Vietnam: Self-Launched 13-Day Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £750 per person for 13 days in Thailand & 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 Realistic Asia?+
Yes — Realistic Asia charges around £1,490 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £750 — a saving of roughly £740 (50%) per person.
How long is the Thailand & Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Thailand & 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, foodie trip through Thailand & 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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