Self-Launched Best of Vietnam & Cambodia: Hanoi to Angkor in 14 Days
14 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
Bee Gng International Joint Stock Company charges £1,570
No-markup version: ~£710 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-friendly version of the classic Hanoi–Ha Long Bay–Hue–Hoi An–Saigon–Mekong–Siem Reap route. You'll cover the same headline sights — the Old Quarter, an overnight junk cruise, the Imperial Citadel, Hoi An's lantern-lit lanes, Cu Chi, Angkor Wat at sunrise and Banteay Srei — but book everything yourself: hostels and guesthouses instead of tour hotels, local guides or GetYourGuide/Klook day trips instead of a tour manager, and Vietnam's brilliant trains, sleeper buses and cheap regional flights instead of private transfers. Roughly £1,050–1,250 all-in versus about £1,570 for the packaged version (the operator's 10% discounted $1,971).
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi, Vietnam
Land at Noi Bai (HAN) and take the public bus #86 or a Grab bike/car into the Old Quarter (£2–5, 45–60 min). Check into a hostel or budget hotel around Ma May / Hang Bac. Skip the tour welcome dinner and instead do a self-guided wander: Hoan Kiem Lake at dusk, the red Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple (£1 entry), then a £2 bia hoi corner and a bowl of bun cha or pho for dinner (£2–3). Buy a local SIM/eSIM at the airport or in town (£6–8 for 30 days of data) and download Grab.
🚌Airport bus #86 or Grab from Noi Bai (~£2–5)
🛏Hostel dorm or private budget room, Old Quarter (£8–14)
- →Hoan Kiem Lake sunset walk
- →Ngoc Son Temple & Huc Bridge
- →Old Quarter street-food crawl (bun cha, pho, bia hoi)
Hanoi highlights by foot and local guide
Hanoi, Vietnam
Do the exact sight circuit the tour covers, but self-guided: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum exterior (free, closed Mon & Fri; arrive before 10:30), the stilt house and One Pillar Pagoda (£1), then Temple of Literature (£2). Lunch at KOTO or a local com binh dan spot (£3). Afternoon: Museum of Ethnology (£2.50) — grab a Grab bike between stops (£1–2 each). In the evening, join a small-group street-food walking tour booked via Klook/GetYourGuide (£15–20) or self-guide a 1.5-hour Old Quarter loop past Dong Xuan Market and Bach Ma Temple.
🚌Grab bikes/taxis between sights (£4 total)
🛏Hostel dorm or private budget room, Old Quarter (£8–14)
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (exterior) & stilt house
- →One Pillar Pagoda & Temple of Literature
- →Museum of Ethnology
- →Old Quarter walking route & Dong Xuan Market
Ha Long Bay overnight cruise — Sung Sot Cave & Titop Island
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Book a 2D/1N junk cruise directly or via Klook/GetYourGuide (£95–130 for a decent mid-range boat including meals, transfers, kayaking and cave entries — the tour uses Oriental Sails; comparable boats include Vega, Dragon Legend or similar 3-star junks). Shared shuttle picks you up in the Old Quarter around 8am, transfer to Ha Long International Cruise Port (~£0 extra, included). Afternoon: guided visit to Sung Sot (Amazing) Cave, climb Titop Island's 400 steps for the panorama, swim at the beach, then happy hour, a cooking demo and dinner on deck. Squid fishing off the stern after dark.
🚌Shared shuttle Hanoi–Ha Long return (included in cruise package)
🛏En-suite cabin on a 3-star junk, Ha Long Bay (included in cruise price)
- →Sung Sot Cave
- →Titop Island climb & swim
- →Cooking demo & squid fishing
Luon Cave by kayak, back to Hanoi, night train to Hue
Ha Long Bay → Hanoi → Hue
Tai chi on the sundeck at dawn, breakfast with the karst view, then a sampan or kayak through Luon Cave (£0–5 extra). Cruise past Bai Chay Bridge for photos, lunch on board, disembark early afternoon and shuttle back to Hanoi (~4pm). Store your bag at the hostel, grab dinner (£3), then take the SE19/SE3 sleeper train from Hanoi to Hue departing ~19:30–20:00 (£22–30 for a soft sleeper berth, ~13 hours). Book on dsvn.vn or 12go.asia a few days ahead. (The packaged tour flies; the train is cheaper, greener and gets you in for sunrise.)
🚌Shared shuttle to Hanoi + overnight sleeper train to Hue (~£26)
🛏Sleeper train berth, Hanoi–Hue (~included in train ticket)
- →Tai chi & Luon Cave kayak
- →Bai Chay Bridge viewpoint
- →Overnight Reunification-line train
Hue — Perfume River, Thien Mu Pagoda & Thuy Bieu village
Hue, Vietnam
Arrive Hue mid-morning, walk or Grab to a guesthouse in the backpacker pocket around Pham Ngu Lao / Chu Van An (£10–16). Sleep off the train, then in the afternoon hire a bicycle (£2) or Grab to Thien Mu Pagoda (free entry). Continue to Thuy Bieu village: book the community-tourism garden-house experience directly (£10–15) or just cycle in and pay for an incense-making family visit, herbal foot soak and the blind-massage cooperative (£3–5 each). Sunset drinks on the Perfume River bank. Dinner: bun bo Hue (£2).
🚌Bicycle hire & Grab in Hue (£4)
🛏Guesthouse private room, Hue (£10–16)
- →Thien Mu Pagoda
- →Thuy Bieu garden houses & incense-making family
- →Herbal foot soak & blind massage cooperative
Imperial Citadel & Minh Mang's tomb, then over the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An
Hue → Hoi An, Vietnam
Morning: Imperial Citadel (Flag Tower, South Gate, Edict Pavilion, Supreme Harmony Palace, Forbidden Purple City) — £5 entry, allow 2.5 hours; rent an audio guide or read up beforehand. Then a Grab or easy-rider motorbike out to Emperor Minh Mang's tomb (£2 entry, £3 ride). Lunch at a local com hen stall (£2). At ~1pm take the shared Hoi An Express / local bus over the Hai Van Pass with a Lang Co photo stop (£6–9, 3.5 hrs), or the cheaper public bus (£3). Check into a Hoi An homestay or hostel near the Old Town (£10–16) and walk the lantern-lit streets after dark — entry ticket to the Old Town is £5.
🚌Shared minibus Hue–Hoi An over Hai Van Pass (~£8)
🛏Homestay or hostel, Hoi An (£10–16)
- →Imperial Citadel & Forbidden Purple City
- →Minh Mang tomb
- →Hai Van Pass & Lang Co lagoon stop
- →Hoi An Old Town by lantern-light
Hoi An Old Town tickets, Cham Museum & Marble Mountains
Hoi An & Da Nang, Vietnam
Hoi An's Old Town ticket (£5) covers five heritage houses/temples — use it on the Japanese Bridge, Tan Ky ancient house, Phuc Kien Pagoda, Quan Cong Temple and the port. Midday, take a Grab or local bus to Da Nang (£2) for the Cham Museum (£2) and Marble Mountains (£2 entry + £2 lift). Optional detour: the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills (cable car £30 — the tour's reviews rave about it, but it's a big add-on; skip if you're counting pennies). Return to Hoi An for cao lau noodles (£3) and the night market.
🚌Grab / local bus Hoi An–Da Nang return (~£5)
🛏Homestay or hostel, Hoi An (£10–16)
- →Hoi An Old Town heritage ticket
- →Cham Museum, Da Nang
- →Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son)
- →Hoi An night market
Tra Que vegetable village by bicycle & An Bang Beach
Hoi An, Vietnam
The tour's easiest day to replicate: hire a bicycle (£2) and pedal 3km to Tra Que vegetable village. Pay the village entry (£2) and join a farming session — raking, sowing, watering, transplanting — run by the farming families on the spot or via a £12–15 Klook half-day tour that includes a cooking class. Cycle on to An Bang Beach for a swim, a £2 beer and grilled seafood lunch (£6). Afternoon free for tailoring fittings, a £6 massage, or a lantern-making workshop (£5).
🚌Bicycle hire (£2)
🛏Homestay or hostel, Hoi An (£10–16)
- →Tra Que farming experience
- →An Bang Beach swim
- →Optional lantern-making or cooking class
Fly to Saigon — colonial quarter & Cho Lon
Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City
Morning shuttle from Hoi An to Da Nang airport (£4, 45 min). Fly Da Nang–Saigon on VietJet/Bamboo (£35–55 booked 2–4 weeks out). Grab to a District 1 hostel (£3). Afternoon self-guided walk: Hotel Saigon Palace (now the Saigon Prince), Opera House, Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (all free exteriors). Then Grab to Cho Lon — Binh Tay Market and the Thien Hau Temple — where you can buy lacquerware far cheaper than at a factory showroom. Dinner: banh xeo and a rooftop beer (£5).
🚌Shuttle to Da Nang airport + domestic flight + Grab (~£50)
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, District 1 (£10–15)
- →Notre-Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
- →Opera House & Dong Khoi colonial quarter
- →Cho Lon / Binh Tay Market
- →Thien Hau Temple
Mekong Delta day trip — My Tho & Ben Tre
My Tho & Ben Tre, Vietnam
Book a small-group Mekong Delta day tour via Klook or GetYourGuide (£18–28, includes hotel pickup, boat rides, fruit, honey tea and lunch) — or DIY it: public bus from Mien Dong station to My Tho (£1.50), then a local boat charter through Vam Xep canal into Ben Tre (£10 shared). Either way you get the My Tho River, fishing villages, the bee farm, Quoi An village, coconut-candy workshop, a rowing sampan through the water-palm creeks and lunch on an islet. Optional: Vinh Trang Pagoda (£1) on the way back. Return to Saigon by ~6pm.
🚌Included in day tour, or public bus + local boat (~£12 DIY)
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, District 1 (£10–15)
- →My Tho River boat trip
- →Ben Tre coconut candy & handicraft workshops
- →Rowing sampan in water-palm creeks
- →Islet lunch
Cao Dai Temple & Cu Chi Tunnels
Tay Ninh & Cu Chi, Vietnam
Take the classic combined small-group day tour (£25–35 via Klook/GetYourGuide) — it's genuinely hard to do both on public transport in one day. You'll drive to Tay Ninh for the Cao Dai Temple and the noon service (free entry, donation appreciated), have lunch, then spend the afternoon crawling a section of the Cu Chi tunnel system (entry included). You can also fire a few rounds at the range (£10–15, optional). Back in Saigon by 18:30; eat at a District 4 street-food stall (£3).
🚌Included in day tour
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, District 1 (£10–15)
- →Cao Dai Temple midday service
- →Cu Chi Tunnels exploration
- →Optional firing range
Fly to Siem Reap — Angkor Wat & Phnom Bakheng sunset
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Early flight Saigon–Siem Reap (£55–80 on VietJet/Cambodia Angkor Air, or a long bus via Bavet for £18 — but the flight saves a day). Buy the Angkor pass at the ticket office on arrival: 1-day £29, 3-day £61 (best value if you're here three days). Check into a hostel or guesthouse (£9–15), then use the late-afternoon window on your pass to explore Angkor Wat's galleries and climb Phnom Bakheng for sunset — arrive by 16:30, they cap visitor numbers. Tuk-tuk driver for the evening £8. Dinner on Pub Street (£4).
🚌Flight to Siem Reap + tuk-tuk (£3–5)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Siem Reap (£9–15)
- →Angkor Wat galleries
- →Phnom Bakheng sunset
- →Angkor pass purchase
Angkor circuit: Bayon, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei
Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia
Hire a tuk-tuk with driver for a full day (£18–22 shared, or £20 solo) and build the tour's own route: sunrise back at Angkor Wat (free with your pass, 05:00 start), then Angkor Thom's South Gate, Bayon's face towers, Baphuon, the Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch at a park stall (£3). Afternoon: Ta Keo, Ta Prohm (the tomb-raider trees), Pre Rup, East Mebon, Srah Srang, then the 45-minute run out to Banteay Srei (£2 extra if you want the separate ticket-free drive). Swap the tour's elephant ride for a fair-welfare sanctuary visit instead, or just skip it. Evening: Apsara dance show with buffet dinner, bookable direct at Koulen or Angkor Village for £12–18.
🚌Full-day tuk-tuk with driver (~£20)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Siem Reap (£9–15)
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Bayon, Baphuon & Angkor Thom
- →Ta Prohm & Pre Rup
- →Banteay Srei
- →Apsara dance show & dinner
Tonle Sap floating village & departure
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Morning: a tuk-tuk out to Tonle Sap (£5) and a boat through the floating villages of Kompong Khleang or Mechrey (£12–18, half the price of Chong Kneas and far less touristy). On the way back, stop at Les Artisans d'Angkor workshop in town (free tour, honest prices) or the slightly more sobering Landmine Museum (£3). Then tuk-tuk to Siem Reap International Airport (£4) for your onward flight. If you have a spare afternoon, the 3-day Angkor pass already covers one more temple loop for free.
🚌Tuk-tuk to Tonle Sap and airport (~£9)
🛏—
- →Tonle Sap floating village boat trip
- →Les Artisans d'Angkor workshop
- →Optional Landmine Museum
Self-launched vs. Bee Gng International Joint Stock Company
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Bee Gng International Joint Stock Company | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£710 | £1,570 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £860 per person (55%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Bee Gng International Joint Stock Company-style trips? Check them out here.~£710
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 Self-Launched Best of Vietnam & Cambodia: Hanoi to Angkor in 14 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £710 per person for 14 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 Bee Gng International Joint Stock Company?+
Yes — Bee Gng International Joint Stock Company charges around £1,570 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £710 — a saving of roughly £860 (55%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 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 adventure, culture, 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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