Best of Vietnam – Self-Launched Adventure

Fly into Noi Bai International Airport and take the 86 bus or a Grab taxi (~£4) into the city centre. Check into a well-rated hostel or boutique guesthouse in the Old Quarter — this is the heart of backpacker Hanoi and puts you steps from street food, coffee shops and the night scene. Spend the evening wandering the narrow lanes, grab a bia hoi (fresh draught beer, ~20p a glass) at a pavement stall, and grab dinner at a local pho or bun cha restaurant to kick off the trip.

🚌Bus 86 from airport to Old Quarter (~£0.80) or Grab taxi (~£4)

🛏Hanoi Backpackers Hostel or Old Quarter boutique guesthouse (e.g. Hanoi La Siesta, dorm ~£8 / private ~£20-30)

• →Arrive at Noi Bai Airport — take bus 86 or Grab to Old Quarter (~£4)
• →Check in to a boutique guesthouse or hostel in the Old Quarter
• →Evening stroll through Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple area
• →Dinner at a local bun cha or pho restaurant in the Old Quarter (~£3-5)

Explore Hanoi's highlights independently or on a budget walking/cyclo tour. Visit the Temple of Literature (entry ~£1.20), Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House and Mausoleum complex (~£1.50), and the iconic One Pillar Pagoda. Head to a local eatery for bun cha for lunch (~£2-3) then spend the afternoon at Dong Xuan Market — Hanoi's largest covered market — picking up souvenirs and sampling street snacks. Wind down with a lakeside coffee at Cafe Giang, famous for its egg coffee.

🚌Walking and Grab bike (~£1-2 per trip)

🛏Hanoi Backpackers Hostel or Old Quarter boutique guesthouse

• →Visit the Temple of Literature (entry ~£1.20)
• →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Stilt House & One Pillar Pagoda (~£1.50)
• →Lunch at a local bun cha restaurant (~£2-3)
• →Browse Dong Xuan Market for souvenirs and street food
• →Egg coffee at Cafe Giang (~£1)

Take an early bus or shared minivan from Hanoi's My Dinh bus station to Ninh Binh (~2 hrs, ~£3-4). Head to Hoa Lu, Vietnam's ancient capital, and explore the Dinh and Le King temples (entry ~£1.50). In the afternoon, take a rowboat along the Ngo Dong River through Tam Coc (~£4 per person including boat), drifting through three caves with limestone peaks towering above. Check into a guesthouse in Tam Coc village — there are excellent mid-range options for £10-18 per night.

🚌Bus/minivan from Hanoi My Dinh station (~£3-4); local bicycle hire (~£2)

🛏Tam Coc Garden Resort or Ninh Binh Hidden Charm Hotel (budget-mid: ~£15-22/night)

• →Bus or shared minivan Hanoi → Ninh Binh (~2 hrs, ~£3-4)
• →Visit Hoa Lu ancient capital and Dinh/Le King temples (~£1.50)
• →Rowboat trip along Ngo Dong River through Tam Coc caves (~£4)
• →Explore Tam Coc village and rice paddies by bicycle (hire ~£2)

Join a day trip from Ninh Binh to Cuc Phuong National Park (~1 hr by hired motorbike taxi or local bus, ~£3-5 each way). Entry to the park costs ~£4. Visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre and the Cave of Prehistoric Man within the park. Many guesthouses in Tam Coc can arrange a visit to Save Vietnam's Wildlife (SVW) — a non-profit wildlife conservation centre — as part of a day trip (combined ~£10-15 total). Return to Ninh Binh in the evening.

🚌Motorbike taxi or local bus to Cuc Phuong (~£5 each way)

🛏Tam Coc Garden Resort or Ninh Binh Hidden Charm Hotel

• →Transfer to Cuc Phuong National Park (~1 hr, motorbike taxi ~£5 each way)
• →Entry to Cuc Phuong National Park (~£4)
• →Visit Endangered Primate Rescue Centre (included in park entry)
• →Explore Cave of Prehistoric Man
• →Visit Save Vietnam's Wildlife conservation centre (~£8-10 donation/entry)

Book a 2-day/1-night Lan Ha Bay cruise directly with a reputable operator such as Cat Ba Ventures, Indochina Junk or via GetYourGuide (~£55-80 per person all-inclusive for 2D/1N). Lan Ha Bay is quieter than Ha Long and equally stunning. Your cruise includes kayaking or bamboo boat rides to the Dark and Bright Caves, meals on board, and sunset drinks on deck. This is the best-value way to experience the bay — book directly online to cut out middleman fees.

🚌Shared bus/transfer Ninh Binh → Halong/Cat Ba ferry port (~£5-8)

🛏Overnight cruise boat on Lan Ha Bay (included in cruise price ~£55-80)

• →Transfer from Ninh Binh to Lan Ha Bay via shared transport or bus (~£5-8)
• →Board Lan Ha Bay overnight cruise (2D/1N, ~£55-80 per person all-inclusive)
• →Kayak or bamboo boat to Dark and Bright Caves
• →Sunset drinks on deck
• →Swimming and limestone island exploration

Wake up early for optional tai chi on the boat deck as it glides back to harbour. After disembarking, join a short local tour of Trung Trang Cave on Cat Ba Island (~£3-5 entry), with impressive limestone formations and wartime history. Then transfer to Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong (shared shuttle ~£5-8) and fly to Hue on VietJet or Vietnam Airlines (~£25-50, book in advance). Arrive in Hue and check into a guesthouse in the city centre.

🚌Shared shuttle to airport (~£6); budget domestic flight to Hue (~£30-50)

🛏Hue Serene Boutique Hotel or Moonlight Hotel Hue (budget-mid: ~£15-25/night)

• →Morning tai chi on the cruise deck
• →Visit Trung Trang Cave on Cat Ba Island (~£3-5)
• →Shared shuttle to Hai Phong / Hanoi airport (~£5-8)
• →Budget flight to Hue (VietJet/Vietnam Airlines, ~£25-50)
• →Check in to Hue guesthouse and evening stroll by the Perfume River

Hire a bicycle or book a half-day guided tour (~£10-15 via GetYourGuide) to visit Thanh Tien village, where artisans have crafted traditional paper flowers for over 300 years. Stop at a local teahouse to experience a Hue-style tea ceremony (~£3-5). In the afternoon, hire a xe om (motorbike taxi) or join a small group tour to the royal tomb of Emperor Minh Mang (~£1.50 entry), a serene UNESCO World Heritage site set in beautiful forested grounds along the Perfume River.

🚌Hired bicycle (~£2/day) or xe om motorbike taxi (~£2-4 per trip)

🛏Hue Serene Boutique Hotel or Moonlight Hotel Hue

• →Visit Thanh Tien paper flower village (local xe om ~£3 return)
• →Hue royal tea tasting at a local teahouse (~£3-5)
• →Boat or xe om to Emperor Minh Mang's Tomb (entry ~£1.50)
• →Evening stroll and dinner on Hue's vibrant food street (~£3-5)

Start the morning with a visit to Hue's Imperial Citadel and the ruins of the Forbidden Purple City (~£5 entry) — arrive early to beat the crowds. Then book a shared shuttle or motorbike over the legendary Hai Van Pass to Hoi An (~£8-12), stopping for panoramic views. Alternatively, take a bus via Da Nang (~£4-6 total). Arrive in Hoi An and check into a guesthouse in or near the Ancient Town. Join a self-guided walking tour of the lantern-lit streets, pop into the Hoi An temple (entry ~£4, covers most ancient town sites) and browse the riverside market.

🚌Shared minibus/motorbike over Hai Van Pass (~£10); local walking in Hoi An

🛏Hoi An Chic Hotel or Hoi An Trails Resort (budget-mid: ~£15-25/night)

• →Visit Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City (~£5 entry)
• →Shared transfer over Hai Van Pass to Hoi An (~£8-12)
• →Check in to Hoi An guesthouse
• →Self-guided walking tour of Hoi An Ancient Town (combined ticket ~£4)
• →Evening riverside market and lantern-shopping

Book a half-day basket boat and village tour directly with a local operator or via GetYourGuide (~£12-18 per person). You'll transfer ~20 minutes to Duy Xuyen/Cam Thanh village, hop into a traditional bamboo basket boat through coconut palm wetlands, visit a mat-weaving family, and enjoy a set lunch in a family garden with homemade rice wine. Return to Hoi An in the early afternoon with time to explore or get clothes tailored (Hoi An is famous for custom tailoring at very low prices).

🚌Local transfer included in tour (~20 min each way)

🛏Hoi An Chic Hotel or Hoi An Trails Resort

• →Basket boat and village tour in Cam Thanh/Duy Xuyen (~£12-18 via GetYourGuide)
• →Coconut wetland paddle through the mangroves
• →Visit traditional mat-weaving family
• →Rice wine tasting and set lunch in a local garden (~included in tour)
• →Afternoon tailoring or free time in Hoi An

A free day to explore at your own pace. Option 1: Book a half-day trip to My Son Sanctuary (~£10-14 including transport, via GetYourGuide), the ancient Cham temple complex set in a jungle valley. Option 2: Join a Vietnamese cooking class (~£18-25) that includes a market tour and hands-on cooking of local dishes — book directly with venues like Red Bridge Cooking School or Morning Glory. Option 3: Hire a bicycle (~£2/day) and ride to Cua Dai beach (5km) or through local rice paddies and villages.

🚌Bicycle hire (~£2/day) or local bus to My Son (~£2-3)

🛏Hoi An Chic Hotel or Hoi An Trails Resort

• →Option A: Day trip to My Son Sanctuary (~£10-14 via GetYourGuide)
• →Option B: Vietnamese cooking class with market visit (~£18-25 at Red Bridge or Morning Glory)
• →Option C: Bicycle ride to Cua Dai beach or local villages (~£2 bike hire)
• →Evening at leisure — lantern release on the Thu Bon River (~£1)

Take a Grab or local bus to Da Nang Airport (~45 min, ~£4-6) and fly to Ho Chi Minh City on VietJet or Vietnam Airlines (~£25-50, book ahead). Arrive and check into a guesthouse in District 1 — the backpacker hub. In the afternoon, visit the Reunification Palace (entry ~£2.50), the former presidential residence that witnessed the fall of Saigon in 1975. Explore the surrounding streets and enjoy a rooftop bar sundowner or grab banh mi from a street stall for dinner.

🚌Grab to Da Nang Airport (~£5); budget flight (~£30-50); Grab within HCMC (~£2-3)

🛏The Common Room Project or Bui Vien budget boutique hotel, District 1 (~£12-22/night)

• →Grab to Da Nang Airport and budget flight to Ho Chi Minh City (~£30-50)
• →Check into District 1 guesthouse
• →Visit Reunification Palace (~£2.50 entry)
• →Walk through Ben Thanh Market area
• →Rooftop sundowner or street food dinner (~£3-5)

Book a 2-day/1-night Mekong Delta tour from Ho Chi Minh City (~£35-55 all-inclusive, widely available from tour operators on Pham Ngu Lao Street or via GetYourGuide/Klook). You'll travel ~2 hours to Cai Be or My Tho, cruise through narrow waterways past coconut groves, visit local workshops (rice paper, coconut candy, bee farms), and overnight at a riverside guesthouse or eco-lodge. A far cheaper and more authentic experience than a premium resort version.

🚌Shared bus from HCMC included in tour price

🛏Mekong riverside guesthouse or eco-lodge (included in 2D/1N tour, ~£35-55 total)

• →Shared bus transfer from HCMC to Mekong Delta (~2 hrs, included in tour)
• →Mekong Delta boat cruise through waterways and canals
• →Visit local craft workshops: rice paper, coconut candy, honey
• →Lunch and dinner at riverside local restaurants (included)
• →Overnight at Mekong riverside guesthouse/eco-lodge

Return to Ho Chi Minh City by shared bus (included in tour, arriving late morning). Optional afternoon add-on: visit the Cu Chi Tunnels (~£8-12 via GetYourGuide, ~1.5 hrs from city), the extraordinary 250km wartime tunnel network used by the Viet Cong. Alternatively, spend the afternoon at the War Remnants Museum (~£1.50 entry) or simply explore District 1. For the farewell dinner, head to a well-regarded local restaurant — try Nha Hang Ngon or a rooftop spot on Bui Vien for a memorable final night (~£6-12 per person).

🚌Shared bus return from Mekong included; Grab within HCMC (~£2-3)

🛏The Common Room Project or Bui Vien budget boutique hotel, District 1

• →Return transfer from Mekong Delta to HCMC (included in tour)
• →Optional: Cu Chi Tunnels half-day trip (~£8-12 via GetYourGuide)
• →Alternative: War Remnants Museum (~£1.50 entry)
• →Farewell dinner at a local restaurant (~£6-12)
• →Evening wander on Bui Vien Walking Street

Enjoy a final Vietnamese breakfast — pick up a banh mi from a street stall or grab pho at a local spot (~£1-2). Check out and take a Grab taxi to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (~£4-6). Alternatively, if time allows, spend the morning at the Jade Emperor Pagoda or take one last wander through the city streets before heading home.

🚌Grab taxi to airport (~£4-6)

🛏N/A – departure day

• →Final Vietnamese breakfast (~£1-2)
• →Optional visit to Jade Emperor Pagoda (free entry)
• →Grab taxi to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (~£4-6)