Best Beach Vietnam Self-Launched: Hanoi to Phu Quoc in 14 Days

Fly into Noi Bai International Airport. Take the 86 airport bus directly to the Old Quarter for around £1 — a cheap and easy alternative to a private transfer. Check into your hostel or budget guesthouse in the Old Quarter, drop your bags and head out to explore. Wander around Hoan Kiem Lake, stroll the 36 streets of the Old Quarter, and soak in the chaotic, electric atmosphere. In the evening, consider booking a Hanoi food tour on foot via GetYourGuide to hit the best street food spots — bánh mì, bún chả, egg coffee and more.

🚌Airport bus 86 from Noi Bai to Old Quarter (~£1). Explore the Old Quarter on foot.

🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (e.g. Hanoi Backpacker's Hostel or Vietnam Impressive Hostel) — £10–18/night

• →Take the 86 airport bus to the Old Quarter (~£1)
• →Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Ngoc Son Temple (free)
• →Explore the 36 streets of the Old Quarter
• →Optional: Hanoi street food tour on foot via GetYourGuide (~£15–20)
• →Optional: My Village Vietnamese Bamboo Circus show (~£10)

Book a 2-day/1-night Halong Bay cruise independently via GetYourGuide or direct with operators like Stellar of the Seas or Paradise Cruises' budget arm. Budget cruises depart Hanoi around 8am with a return bus included. Your cruise will include kayaking through limestone karsts, visiting Titov Island, a cooking class on board, swimming off the sun deck and a set-menu seafood dinner. Prices for reputable budget cruises start from around £80–100pp including transport from Hanoi, all meals and activities on the water.

🚌Bus from Hanoi to Ha Long pier included in cruise package.

🛏On-board cruise cabin (included in cruise price ~£80–100pp for 2D/1N)

• →Bus transfer Hanoi to Ha Long pier (~3.5 hrs, included in cruise package)
• →Board 2D/1N budget cruise on Halong Bay
• →Kayaking through limestone karsts
• →Visit Titov Island and Soi Sim Beach
• →Cooking class on board
• →Swimming and sun-deck relaxation
• →Optional: squid fishing in the evening (~£3)

Start the day with morning exercises on the sun deck as the cruise winds through the karsts. Visit Surprising Cave (Hang Sung Sot), one of the most dramatic cave systems in Halong Bay, before a traditional Vietnamese lunch is served on board as the boat cruises back to the pier. Transfer by bus back to Hanoi, arriving by early evening. Use the evening to rest or explore more of Hanoi's nightlife.

🚌Return bus from Ha Long pier to Hanoi included in cruise package.

🛏Old Quarter hostel or budget guesthouse in Hanoi — £10–18/night

• →Morning exercises on the sun deck
• →Visit Surprising Cave (Hang Sung Sot)
• →Lunch on board while cruising back to pier
• →Bus return to Hanoi (included in cruise package)

Take the Reunification Express overnight train from Hanoi to Da Nang. Book a soft-sleeper berth (4-berth cabin with A/C) directly via Vietnam Railways (dsvn.vn) or via Baolau.com for around £20–30. The journey takes around 16–17 hours and is a classic Vietnam experience — watching the countryside roll by from your bunk. It's worth the overnight trip to save a night's accommodation cost. If you prefer, budget domestic flights with VietJet or Bamboo Airways can be as cheap as £30–50 booked in advance.

🚌Reunification Express overnight train Hanoi → Da Nang, soft sleeper (~£20–30 via dsvn.vn or Baolau.com). Alternatively, budget flight with VietJet/Bamboo (~£30–50).

🛏Overnight train sleeper berth (saves a night's accommodation cost)

• →Spend the morning in Hanoi before your evening departure
• →Optional: Visit the Temple of Literature or Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (~£1–2 entry each)
• →Board the SE3 or SE5 overnight train from Hanoi to Da Nang (~£20–30 soft sleeper)

Arrive into Da Nang in the morning. Take a grab bike or local taxi to the city centre if you want to briefly explore Da Nang's beachfront or Dragon Bridge before heading south. Then jump on a local minibus or grab a taxi to Hoi An — around 30km away and easily reachable for £3–5. Check into your Hoi An hostel or guesthouse, ideally close to the Ancient Town. Spend the afternoon and evening wandering the lantern-lit streets of the UNESCO-listed Ancient Town, visiting the Japanese Covered Bridge and browsing the markets. Entry to the Ancient Town requires a ticket (~£3).

🚌Grab taxi or local minibus from Da Nang to Hoi An (~£3–5, ~45 mins).

🛏Hoi An hostel or guesthouse near the Ancient Town (e.g. Hoi An Backpacker's Hostel, Tribee Tra Que) — £10–18/night

• →Optional: Brief stop in Da Nang — Dragon Bridge, My Khe Beach
• →Minibus or taxi transfer Da Nang → Hoi An (~£3–5, 45 mins)
• →Explore Hoi An Ancient Town — Japanese Covered Bridge, Assembly Halls, lantern street
• →Ancient Town entry ticket (~£3)
• →Evening: riverside dining and Hoi An nightlife

Spend the day exploring Hoi An's incredible surroundings. Option 1: Book a Tra Que Vegetable Village cooking class and foot massage via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£20–30pp) — cycle to the central market, visit a farmer's house, learn to cook Vietnamese dishes and enjoy a relaxing herbal foot massage. Option 2: Take a My Son Sanctuary and Thu Bon River boat trip (~£15–25pp) — explore the ancient Cham ruins with a traditional dance performance, walk through the jungle and float back through fishing and weaving villages. Both are bookable independently and widely available from any Hoi An tour desk.

🚌Hired bicycle around Hoi An and surroundings (~£3/day). Tuk-tuk or grab for longer distances.

🛏Hoi An hostel or guesthouse — £10–18/night

• →Option 1: Tra Que cooking class + foot massage day tour (~£20–30 via GetYourGuide/Klook)
• →Option 2: My Son Sanctuary + Thu Bon river boat trip (~£15–25 via local tour desks)
• →Explore Kim Bong Carpentry Village or Cam Thanh Coconut Jungle on hired bicycle (~£3/day)

A free day to explore at your own pace. Head to An Bang or Cua Dai beach for a lazy morning in the sun, reachable by bicycle. Alternatively, take a full-day trip to Ba Na Hills and the famous Golden Bridge (~£25–35 via GetYourGuide including cable car) or a full-day Hue city tour from Hoi An (~£20–30, bookable from any local travel desk) covering the Imperial Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda and royal tombs. In the evening, stroll the Ancient Town one last time under the glow of silk lanterns.

🚌Hired bicycle for beach (~£3). Organised day tours include transport.

🛏Hoi An hostel or guesthouse — £10–18/night

• →Morning: An Bang or Cua Dai beach by bicycle (~£3 bike hire)
• →Optional: Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge day tour (~£25–35 via GetYourGuide)
• →Optional: Hue City full-day tour from Hoi An (~£20–30 from local tour desks)
• →Evening: Final wander through the Ancient Town lantern streets

Travel from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC/Saigon). The most convenient option is a budget domestic flight — fly from Da Nang Airport (30-minute taxi from Hoi An, ~£5) to Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCMC with VietJet or Bamboo Airways, bookable from around £25–45 in advance. Alternatively, take a sleeper bus from Hoi An direct to HCMC (~£15–20, around 18 hours — an overnight option to save accommodation). Check into your HCMC hostel in the backpacker district (Bui Vien area) and explore the buzzing city streets in the evening.

🚌Grab taxi to Da Nang Airport (~£5). Budget flight to HCMC (~£25–45 with VietJet/Bamboo booked in advance).

🛏HCMC budget hostel or guesthouse, Bui Vien/District 1 (e.g. The Common Room, Saigon Backpacker's) — £10–18/night

• →Grab taxi from Hoi An to Da Nang Airport (~£5, 30 mins)
• →Budget flight Da Nang → Ho Chi Minh City with VietJet/Bamboo (~£25–45)
• →Check in to HCMC hostel in Bui Vien backpacker district
• →Evening: Explore Ben Thanh Market area and Bui Vien Walking Street

Join a Mekong Delta day tour from HCMC — widely available for £15–25pp via GetYourGuide, Klook or any local tour desk in the backpacker district. Tours depart around 8am and head to My Tho on the Mekong. Highlights include a sampan cruise on the river, visiting Unicorn Island, sampling tropical fruits in lush orchards, watching a folk song performance, squeezing through hand-rowed canals in Thoi Son, visiting a honey-bee farm, and learning to make coconut candy. Back in HCMC by evening.

🚌Mekong Delta day tour includes return coach transfer from HCMC (~2hrs each way, included in tour price).

🛏HCMC budget hostel or guesthouse — £10–18/night

• →Mekong Delta day tour from HCMC (~£15–25 via GetYourGuide/Klook or local tour desks)
• →Sampan cruise on the Mekong River
• →Visit Unicorn Island, Dragon Island and Thoi Son Canal
• →Tropical fruit tasting and honey-bee farm visit
• →Coconut candy workshop and folk song performance
• →Cycling around Tan Thach village

Take a half-day or full-day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels — one of Vietnam's most fascinating historical sites. Book via GetYourGuide or Klook for around £12–20pp including transport. You'll watch an introductory video on tunnel construction during the Vietnam War, then explore the underground living quarters, field kitchens, bedrooms, weapons factories and command centres. Try crawling through a section of actual tunnel — it's claustrophobic and utterly memorable. An optional gun-shooting experience is available for an extra charge. Return to HCMC in the afternoon — use the rest of the day to explore the War Remnants Museum (£2 entry) or the Reunification Palace.

🚌Cu Chi Tunnels tour includes return coach from HCMC (included in tour price). Local Grab taxi/bike for city sightseeing (~£1–3).

🛏HCMC budget hostel or guesthouse — £10–18/night

• →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour from HCMC (~£12–20 via GetYourGuide/Klook)
• →Explore tunnel living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, weapons factories and hospitals
• →Optional: Gun shooting experience (~£10 extra)
• →Afternoon: War Remnants Museum (~£2) or Reunification Palace (~£2)
• →Evening: Street food on Bui Vien or local pho spot

Fly from Tan Son Nhat Airport (HCMC) to Phu Quoc International Airport with VietJet or Bamboo Airways — flights take about 1 hour and can be booked for £25–50 in advance. Alternatively, take a bus + ferry combo for around £15–20 (bus to Rach Gia or Ha Tien, then ferry to Phu Quoc) which takes around 5–7 hours. Check into your Phu Quoc accommodation — there are excellent budget options in the Duong Dong town area close to the night market. Spend the afternoon settling in and exploring the famous Phu Quoc Night Market for fresh seafood at budget prices.

🚌Budget flight HCMC to Phu Quoc (~£25–50 with VietJet/Bamboo booked in advance). Grab taxi from Phu Quoc Airport to Duong Dong (~£4).

🛏Phu Quoc budget guesthouse or hostel near Duong Dong (e.g. Langchia Hostel, Bochill Hostel) — £12–20/night

• →Budget flight HCMC → Phu Quoc with VietJet/Bamboo (~£25–50, ~1hr)
• →Alternatively: Bus + ferry combo via Rach Gia (~£15–20, ~5–7hrs)
• →Check in to Phu Quoc budget guesthouse or hostel near Duong Dong
• →Evening: Explore Phu Quoc Night Market — fresh seafood, local snacks

Spend the day exploring Phu Quoc's stunning beaches and crystal-clear waters. Hire a motorbike (~£5/day) to discover Long Beach, Sao Beach (one of the most beautiful in Vietnam) and Kem Beach at your own pace. Alternatively, book an island-hopping snorkelling day tour via GetYourGuide or from a local tour desk (~£15–20pp) covering the southern islands — An Thoi Archipelago — with snorkelling, fishing and seafood lunch on board. In the afternoon, visit the Phu Quoc fish sauce factory or the pepper farms in the island's interior.

🚌Hired motorbike for island exploration (~£5/day). Grab taxi as backup.

🛏Phu Quoc budget guesthouse or hostel — £12–20/night

• →Hire a motorbike to explore the island (~£5/day)
• →Visit Sao Beach and Kem Beach — some of Vietnam's finest white sand
• →Optional: Island-hopping snorkelling tour, An Thoi Archipelago (~£15–20 via GetYourGuide/Klook)
• →Visit Phu Quoc fish sauce factory (free or ~£1)
• →Sunset at Long Beach with a cocktail

A final relaxed day on Phu Quoc to soak up the island vibes. Head back to your favourite beach or discover the quieter northern coast around Ganh Dau. If you haven't yet, book a sunset squid fishing boat trip for the evening (~£12–15pp) — a magical way to spend your last night on the island. End the trip with a final feast at the Phu Quoc Night Market — piles of fresh grilled seafood, cold Saigon beer and a glowing sense of satisfaction.

🚌Hired motorbike (~£5/day) or Grab taxi for beach hopping.

🛏Phu Quoc budget guesthouse or hostel — £12–20/night

• →Morning: Beach day — Sao Beach or northern Phu Quoc (Ganh Dau, Vung Bau Beach)
• →Optional: Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc wildlife park (~£20) or Vinwonders (~£25)
• →Optional: Sunset squid fishing boat trip (~£12–15 via local tour desks)
• →Evening: Final dinner at Phu Quoc Night Market — fresh seafood feast

Final breakfast and check-out. Grab a Grab taxi to Phu Quoc International Airport (~£4–6) for your onward flight. You can fly direct from Phu Quoc to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to connect to international flights home. If you have time before your flight, take one last dip at Long Beach or grab a final Vietnamese iced coffee. End of an incredible 14-day journey through Vietnam.

🚌Grab taxi to Phu Quoc International Airport (~£4–6). Budget domestic flight to Hanoi/HCMC if needed for connections (~£30–50).

• →Final breakfast and check-out
• →Grab taxi to Phu Quoc International Airport (~£4–6)
• →Optional: Book onward domestic flight to Hanoi or HCMC for international connections (~£30–50 with VietJet/Bamboo)
• →Optional: Extend your stay in Phu Quoc or continue overland to Cambodia