13-Day Vietnam Local Self-Launched Adventure: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
13 days · Vietnam
Vietnam Allure Travel charges £1,170
No-markup version: ~£735 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Vietnam Allure Travel's 13-day north-to-south route, covering Hanoi's Old Quarter and street food, an overnight junk boat in Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba Island, Ninh Binh's karst valleys, Hoi An's Ancient Town and coconut forests, the Mekong Delta floating markets and the Cu Chi Tunnels. Everything is booked independently through hostels and budget hotels, local buses, the Reunification Express, sleeper trains/limousines and self-bookable day tours (Klook/GetYourGuide or direct with local operators). Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP and assume shared dorm or budget double rooms, eating local, and using public transport — expect to pay roughly a third of the tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrival in Hanoi & Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai (HAN). Skip the hotel transfer and take the official airport bus #86 to the Old Quarter (~£1.20, 60–75 min) or a Grab car for ~£8. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Hoan Kiem Lake, then wander the 36 streets of the Old Quarter, grab a bia hoi at a corner bar (~£0.50) and eat bun cha or pho for dinner.
🚌Airport bus #86 ~£1.20 or Grab ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget double in Old Quarter (e.g. Little Charm Hanoi Hostel area), ~£10
- →Airport bus #86 to Old Quarter
- →Self-guided Old Quarter walk
- →Hoan Kiem Lake at dusk
- →Bia hoi corner + street dinner
Hanoi city highlights & street food crawl
Hanoi
Do it yourself at your own pace: Temple of Literature (~£1.20), Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex (free, closed Mon/Fri), One Pillar Pagoda, then the Women's Museum or Hoa Lo Prison ('Hanoi Hilton', ~£1.20). Rent a cyclo ride around the Old Quarter (~£4 for 30–45 min, negotiate). In the evening join a small-group street food walking tour booked on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£20–25) or DIY a crawl of Dong Xuan market and Ta Hien street.
🚌Walking + Grab motorbike taxis ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm or budget double in Old Quarter, ~£10
- →Temple of Literature
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex
- →Hoa Lo Prison museum
- →Cyclo ride in Old Quarter
- →Evening street food tour (Klook/GetYourGuide)
Ha Long Bay overnight junk boat
Ha Long Bay
Book a 2-day/1-night Ha Long Bay cruise independently — either direct with a local boat company or via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£90–110 for a mid-range junk incl. meals, kayaking and transfers). A minibus picks you up in the Old Quarter around 8am, transfers to Tuan Chau marina (~4h), then board for lunch, cave visits (Sung Sot), kayaking and sunset on deck. Overnight in a twin/double cabin onboard.
🚌Shared shuttle bus Hanoi–Ha Long ~included in cruise (~£0 if DIY on local bus ~£5)
🛏Cabin on a mid-range junk boat (double/twin share), included in cruise price
- →Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave
- →Sea kayaking around the limestone karsts
- →Sunset on the top deck
- →Cooking demo / squid fishing on board
Ha Long to Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba Island
Disembark mid-morning; take the local ferry or speedboat from Ha Long/Tuan Chau to Cat Ba (~£5–8, roughly 1–1.5h). Check into a guesthouse or hostel in Cat Ba town (Buffalo Hostel area, ~£8–12 dorm). Rent a scooter or bicycle (~£6/day) and visit Trung Trang Cave and Cat Ba National Park's short trails; finish at Cat Co beaches for sunset.
🚌Local ferry/speedboat ~£7 + scooter hire ~£6
🛏Guesthouse/hostel dorm in Cat Ba town, ~£10
- →Local ferry Ha Long–Cat Ba
- →Trung Trang Cave
- →Cat Ba National Park short hike
- →Cat Co 1/2/3 beaches
- →Scooter rental
Cat Ba to Ninh Binh (via Hai Phong)
Ninh Binh
Bus/ferry combo from Cat Ba to Hai Phong (~£3), then a local or limousine bus to Ninh Binh (~£5–7, ~2.5–3h). Check into a homestay in Tam Coc or Trang An (~£10–14 with bike included). Spend the afternoon cycling the rice paddies and limestone pinnacles, stopping at Hang Mua's base and Bai Dinh Pagoda if time allows.
🚌Ferry + bus combo ~£10
🛏Homestay in Tam Coc/Trang An, ~£12
- →Cat Ba–Hai Phong ferry + bus
- →Bicycle ride through Tam Coc/Trang An countryside
- →Bai Dinh Pagoda (optional)
Ninh Binh: Trang An boat, Hang Mua & overnight train south
Ninh Binh → Hoi An (sleeper train)
Cycle to Trang An and take a 2.5–3h rowboat through rivers and caves (~£10–12 ticket, boat shared). Climb Hang Mua's 500-odd steps for the famous Dragon Mountain viewpoint (~£2). In the late afternoon take a local bus/taxi to Ninh Binh station and board the Reunification Express (SE1/SE3) south to Da Nang — soft sleeper ~£30–40; book on Vietnam Railways or a booking agent in advance. Roughly 14–16 hours overnight.
🚌Bicycle + Reunification Express Ninh Binh–Da Nang ~£35
🛏Soft sleeper berth on Reunification Express (4-berth), ~£35
- →Trang An rowboat cruise
- →Hang Mua Dragon Mountain viewpoint
- →Reunification Express sleeper train
Arrive Hoi An: Ancient Town
Hoi An
Arrive Da Nang in the morning; take local bus #1 (~£0.60) or Grab (~£6) to Hoi An (~45 min). Check into a budget hotel near the Ancient Town (~£12–16 double, dorms ~£7). Buy the Ancient Town ticket (~£5) for the Japanese Covered Bridge, assembly halls and old houses, then hit the tailors — a custom shirt or dress runs ~£20–35 in 24–48h. Evening: lantern-lit streets and cao lau noodles.
🚌Local bus #1 Da Nang–Hoi An ~£0.60 or Grab ~£6
🛏Budget hotel near Ancient Town, ~£14
- →Hoi An Ancient Town ticket & heritage houses
- →Japanese Covered Bridge
- →Tailor fitting for custom clothes
- →Lantern-lit evening walk & night market
Coconut Forest basket boats & crab fishing
Hoi An
Cycle to Cam Thanh coconut village and book a basket-boat ride directly with the local fishermen cooperative (~£5–7 per person, includes the spinning-boat show and crab fishing with rods). Alternatively book a small-group tour on Klook (~£12–15) that adds a cooking class or herbal foot massage. Afternoon free: An Bang or Cua Dai beach, or rent a bicycle (~£2) to the Tra Que vegetable village.
🚌Bicycle hire ~£2
🛏Budget hotel near Ancient Town, ~£14
- →Cam Thanh coconut forest basket boat ride
- →Crab fishing with local fishermen
- →An Bang beach afternoon
- →Tra Que vegetable village bike ride
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Take a Grab to Da Nang airport (~£7) and fly VietJet/Bamboo Airways to Saigon (~£35–50 one-way, 1h20). Alternatively take a sleeper bus (~£25, 18h) or the train (~£30, 18h) if you want to save money. Check into a budget hotel/hostel in District 1 (~£10–14). Evening: walk Nguyen Hue walking street, Ben Thanh night market and the Bui Vien backpacker strip; dinner of banh mi and com tam for under £4.
🚌Flight ~£42 + airport Grab ~£7
🛏Budget hotel/hostel District 1, ~£12
- →Domestic flight Da Nang–Saigon
- →Nguyen Hue walking street
- →Ben Thanh market at night
- →Bui Vien street food
Mekong Delta to Can Tho
Can Tho / Mekong Delta
Book a small-group 2-day Mekong Delta tour from Saigon on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£45–60 incl. transport, boat trips, meals and one night's hotel) — or DIY: local bus Saigon–Can Tho (~£5, 4h), then hire a boatman at the pier (~£10–15 for a private small boat). Visit Ben Tre/My Tho coconut candy workshops and orchard villages, cycle village lanes, then overnight in Can Tho near the river (~£12).
🚌Shared tour transport or local bus Saigon–Can Tho ~£6
🛏Budget hotel in Can Tho (or included in tour), ~£12
- →Mekong Delta boat trip
- →Local village and orchard visits
- →Coconut candy workshop (Ben Tre)
- →Evening on the Can Tho riverfront
Cai Rang floating market & back to Saigon
Can Tho → Ho Chi Minh City
Get up at 5am for Cai Rang floating market — hire a small boat directly at the wharf (~£6–8 per person shared) for 2–3h of coffee boats, noodle boats and produce trading. Stop at a rice noodle factory. Return to Saigon by afternoon bus/limousine (~£6, 4h) and check back into your District 1 hotel. Evening free for the War Remnants Museum area or a rooftop drink.
🚌Boat hire ~£7 + bus Can Tho–Saigon ~£6
🛏Budget hotel/hostel District 1, ~£12
- →Cai Rang floating market at dawn
- →Rice noodle workshop
- →Bus back to Saigon
- →War Remnants Museum (optional)
Cu Chi Tunnels & Saigon city
Ho Chi Minh City
Book a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£15–20 incl. transport and entrance) or take local bus #13 to Cu Chi (~£1) and pay the ~£5 entrance yourself. Crawl the tunnels, try the shooting range and see the trap displays. Afternoon back in the city: Independence Palace (~£2.50), Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (free), then a final pho and ca phe sua da.
🚌Shared tour bus or local bus #13 ~£5
🛏Budget hotel/hostel District 1, ~£12
- →Cu Chi Tunnels tour
- →Independence Palace
- →Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
- →Ben Thanh market souvenir shopping
Departure from Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Last morning for a banh mi breakfast and a walk around Tao Dan Park or the Fine Arts Museum. Take bus #109 or #152 to Tan Son Nhat airport (~£0.50–1) or a Grab (~£5) with 3 hours to spare for international check-in.
🚌Bus #109/#152 to airport ~£1 or Grab ~£5
🛏—
- →Breakfast banh mi
- →Fine Arts Museum (optional)
- →Airport bus #109/#152
Self-launched vs. Vietnam Allure Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Vietnam Allure Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£735 | £1,170 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £435 per person (37%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Vietnam Allure Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£735
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 13-Day Vietnam Local Self-Launched Adventure: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £735 per person for 13 days in 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 Vietnam Allure Travel?+
Yes — Vietnam Allure Travel charges around £1,170 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £735 — a saving of roughly £435 (37%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through 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 adventure, culture, backpacker trip through 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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