Mekong Delta to Angkor Temples: Self-Launched Edition
11 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
CroisiEurope River Cruises charges £2,570
No-markup version: ~£567 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 11-day overland route from Ho Chi Minh City down into the Mekong Delta, upriver by local boat and bus to Phnom Penh, then on to the floating villages of the Tonle Sap and the temples of Angkor in Siem Reap. Same destinations and experiences as the CroisiEurope river cruise, but using guesthouses, local ferries, express buses and self-bookable day tours instead of a 44-guest cruise ship. All costs are approximate per-person GBP estimates for a budget-to-midrange solo traveller.
Day-by-day
Ho Chi Minh City: colonial landmarks & Cholon
Ho Chi Minh City
Land in Saigon and settle into a District 1 hostel. Walk the classic central loop on foot: Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior only while under restoration), the Saigon Central Post Office, then the Reunification Palace if you have time. In the afternoon head to Cholon (Chinatown) to wander Binh Tay market and the incense-heavy Thien Hau Temple. Finish with a Bia Hoi corner dinner in the backpacker district.
🚌Airport bus #109 or Grab from Tan Son Nhat to District 1, ~£1-2
🛏Hostel dorm or private budget room in District 1 (£10-16)
- →Self-guided walk: Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
- →Reunification Palace entry (~£2)
- →Cholon market & Thien Hau Temple self-guided visit
Cu Chi Tunnels & city museums
Ho Chi Minh City
Book a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels group tour through GetYourGuide or Klook (includes bus, guide and entry, ~£15-20) — the 1.5-2 hour drive each way is far easier on an organised shuttle than on public transport. Back in the city in the afternoon, visit the Museum of Vietnamese History (~£1) or the War Remnants Museum, then stroll the Nguyen Hue pedestrian esplanade in the evening.
🚌Included in Cu Chi day tour; Grab around town ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm or private budget room in District 1 (£10-16)
- →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour (GetYourGuide/Klook)
- →Museum of Vietnamese History
- →Nguyen Hue Esplanade evening walk
Into the Delta: My Tho, Ben Tre & Cai Be
My Tho / Cai Be
Take a local bus from Mien Tay station to My Tho (~£2, 2 hours). From there join a small-boat Mekong Delta day trip (bookable locally or via Klook, ~£12-18): bee farm, honey tea, tropical fruit tasting, a sampan paddle through coconut-palm canals, plus a brick kiln and rice-paper/puffed-rice workshop. Overnight in a Delta guesthouse near Cai Be rather than returning to the city.
🚌Public bus HCMC to My Tho ~£2; local boat tour included
🛏Mekong Delta guesthouse near Cai Be (£10-15)
- →Mekong Delta small-boat tour
- →Bee farm & honey tea tasting
- →Brick factory and rice-paper workshop
- →Sampan canal ride
Sa Dec: the lover's house & river market
Sa Dec
Local bus or shared minivan from Cai Be to Sa Dec (~£3-4, 1 hour). Check into a riverside guesthouse and spend the afternoon visiting Huynh Thuy Le's house — the colonial villa made famous by Marguerite Duras' The Lover — and the sprawling Sa Dec flower village and riverside market. Low-key day; eat cao lau and fresh spring rolls at the market.
🚌Local bus Cai Be to Sa Dec ~£3-4
🛏Riverside guesthouse in Sa Dec (£9-14)
- →Huynh Thuy Le house entry (~£1)
- →Sa Dec market and flower village walk
Chau Doc: Ba Chua Xu & the Cambodian border crossing
Chau Doc → Phnom Penh
Bus from Sa Dec to Chau Doc (~£4, 2.5 hours). Visit the Ba Chua Xu Temple at the foot of Sam Mountain and the hilltop Tay An Pagoda, then take a slow boat or speedboat up the Bassac to the Vinh Xuong/Tien Bien border and on to Phnom Penh (~£20-28, 4-6 hours including border formalities; arrange through your guesthouse). Arrive Phnom Penh in the late afternoon, tuk-tuk to a riverside guesthouse.
🚌Bus Sa Dec-Chau Doc ~£4; Chau Doc-Phnom Penh speedboat ~£20-28 (border e-visa/visa on arrival ~£25-30)
🛏Riverside guesthouse in Phnom Penh (£10-16)
- →Ba Chua Xu Temple
- →Tay An Pagoda
- →Mekong river border crossing by boat
Phnom Penh: Royal Palace & Khmer arts
Phnom Penh
Morning at the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda complex (~£8 entry), then the National Museum of Cambodia (~£3) for its Khmer sculpture collection. In the afternoon, tuk-tuk out to Tuol Sleng (S-21) school and, if you're up for it, Choeung Ek — heavy but essential context. Catch a classical Apsara/Khmer dance performance in the evening (~£8-12) — book direct with the venue or via GetYourGuide.
🚌Tuk-tuk hire for the day ~£8-10
🛏Riverside guesthouse in Phnom Penh (£10-16)
- →Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
- →National Museum of Cambodia
- →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
- →Khmer classical dance performance
Koh Chen silversmiths & Kampong Tralach
Kampong Chhnang / Kampong Tralach
Take a shared taxi or minivan north from Phnom Penh toward Kampong Chhnang (~£6-8, 2 hours). Stop at Koh Chen, a silversmith village on the river bank, then continue to Wat Kampong Tralach Leu, reached by local moto or a short ox-cart ride, where the pagoda's painted vihara is the highlight. Overnight in a simple guesthouse in Kampong Chhnang.
🚌Shared taxi/minivan Phnom Penh-Kampong Chhnang ~£6-8; local moto ~£2
🛏Guesthouse in Kampong Chhnang (£9-14)
- →Koh Chen silversmith village
- →Wat Kampong Tralach Leu vihara
- →Ox-cart ride through rice fields
Kampong Chhnang pottery & Tonle Sap
Kampong Chhnang
Morning at the fishing port and the pottery village where clay pots are still shaped by hand and fired in open stacks — walk down to the water and hire a local boat (~£8-12) out onto the Tonle Sap to see floating houses and fish farms. Sample local prahok and palm-sugar products at the market. Relaxed evening in town before an early departure tomorrow.
🚌Local boat hire ~£8-12; walking around town
🛏Guesthouse in Kampong Chhnang (£9-14)
- →Kampong Chhnang fishing port
- →Traditional pottery village
- →Local boat ride on the Tonle Sap
- →Regional produce tasting at the market
Overland to Siem Reap & first sunset at Angkor
Siem Reap
Take the bus or shared minivan from Kampong Chhnang to Siem Reap via Battambang (~£12-16, 6-8 hours with stops in small villages — the boat option via the Tonle Sap is scenic but often unreliable in low water). Arrive afternoon, check into a guesthouse and buy your Angkor pass (1-day £30, 3-day £50). Enter the park for a sunset view of Angkor Wat from Phnom Bakheng or from the moat's west causeway, then eat along Pub Street and browse Angkor Night Market.
🚌Overland bus/minivan to Siem Reap ~£12-16; tuk-tuk to Angkor ~£5
🛏Guesthouse in Siem Reap (£10-16)
- →Angkor Archaeological Park pass
- →Angkor Wat at sunset
- →Angkor Night Market & Pub Street
Tonle Sap floating villages & Phare Circus
Siem Reap
Morning boat trip to the floating villages of Kompong Khleang or Kompong Phluk (~£15-20 including tuk-tuk transfer) — much less crowded than Chong Kneas and the stilted houses are extraordinary in the dry season. Afternoon stop at Senteurs d'Angkor to see the soap and spice workshops, then an evening Phare Cambodian Circus show (~£15-18 via GetYourGuide) — part performance, part social enterprise.
🚌Tuk-tuk to the lake ~£8-10 (usually bundled with the boat trip)
🛏Guesthouse in Siem Reap (£10-16)
- →Tonle Sap floating village boat trip
- →Senteurs d'Angkor workshop visit
- →Phare Cambodian Circus
Ta Prohm, Angkor Thom & departure
Siem Reap
Hire a tuk-tuk driver for a half-day small-circuit run (~£12-15): Ta Prohm with its strangler figs, then Angkor Thom — the Bayon's face towers, the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King. If you bought a 3-day pass, add Banteay Srei. Lunch at a local Khmer spot, then transfer to Siem Reap airport or onward travel (there's a well-connected airport and overland routes to Battambang/Bangkok).
🚌Tuk-tuk half-day tour ~£12-15; airport tuk-tuk ~£4-5
🛏None (departure day) — or one more night in Siem Reap if flying out late
- →Ta Prohm temple
- →Angkor Thom & Bayon
- →Terrace of the Elephants & Terrace of the Leper King
Self-launched vs. CroisiEurope River Cruises
| This itinerary (self-launched) | CroisiEurope River Cruises | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£567 | £2,570 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,003 per person (78%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more CroisiEurope River Cruises-style trips? Check them out here.~£567
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 Mekong Delta to Angkor Temples: Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £567 per person for 11 days in Vietnam & Cambodia. 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 CroisiEurope River Cruises?+
Yes — CroisiEurope River Cruises charges around £2,570 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £567 — a saving of roughly £2,003 (78%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Vietnam & Cambodia.
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, adventure, backpacker trip through Vietnam & Cambodia, 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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