Discover Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand in 12 Days — Self-Launched
12 days · Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand
LVP Travel charges £1,580
No-markup version: ~£753 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of LVP Travel's 12-day Hanoi-to-Phuket group tour, rebuilt for independent travellers. You'll cover the same big-ticket highlights — Hanoi's Old Quarter and Temple of Literature, an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay, the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Mekong Delta, Siem Reap's Angkor complex, and a beach wind-down in Phuket — but booking each leg yourself using local buses, budget flights, hostels and GetYourGuide/Klook day tours. Budget backpacker standard throughout, with the option to splurge on a mid-range Ha Long cruise.
Day-by-day
Arrival in Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam
Land at Noi Bai International Airport and make your own way into the city. The cheapest option is the Vietnam Airlines minibus (No. 86 bus) to Hoan Kiem Lake for around £1.50, or a Grab car for £8-10. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Old Quarter — Hostel Bed & Beyond, Little Charm Hanoi, or Hanoi Golden Time Hostel are solid 3-star-equivalent options with dorms from £5 and private rooms from £18. Spend the evening wandering Hoan Kiem Lake, grabbing a bowl of bun cha or pho bo for £2-3, and doing a lap of the weekend night market if your timing lines up.
🚌No. 86 minibus from Noi Bai airport ~£1.50, or Grab ~£9
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Old Quarter (dorm £5-8, private £18-25)
- →Arrival transfer via No. 86 bus or Grab
- →Evening walk around Hoan Kiem Lake
- →Street food dinner in Old Quarter
Hanoi City Tour — DIY
Hanoi, Vietnam
Replicate the included city tour by hiring a Grab bike or walking between sites — most of the main sights sit within a 3km radius. Start at Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake (free), walk to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex and One Pillar Pagoda (free, closed Mon/Fri), then hit the Temple of Literature (£2). In the afternoon visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (£2, closed Mondays) or Bat Trang ceramic village, and finish at Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake (£1). A cyclo or Grab bike between stops runs £1-2 each. Lunch at a local com binh dan spot £2-3.
🚌Walking + Grab bike hops (£1-2 each)
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Old Quarter (dorm £5-8, private £18-25)
- →Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & One Pillar Pagoda
- →Vietnam Museum of Ethnology or Bat Trang village
- →Temple of Literature
- →Ngoc Son Temple
Hanoi to Ha Long Bay — overnight cruise
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Book a 1-night mid-range cruise via Klook or directly with operators like La Casta or Doris Cruise (£110-150 including transfer from Hanoi, all meals, kayaking and cave visits). Pick-up from your Old Quarter hostel is standard. Spend the afternoon kayaking around Luon Cave or Cua Van floating village, swimming off the boat, squeezing through Surprise Cave, and watching sunset from the top deck. Most cruises throw in a cookery demo and morning tai chi. Sleep on board in a twin-share cabin.
🚌Shuttle bus from Hanoi included in cruise package ~£110-150 total
🛏Overnight cabin on a 3-star Ha Long Bay cruise (included in tour price)
- →Ha Long Bay UNESCO cruise
- →Kayaking
- →Surprise Cave visit
- →Sunset on the top deck
- →Optional cooking class & tai chi
Ha Long Bay to Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Hanoi → Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Wake early for sunrise, do a short bamboo rowboat with local fishermen, then cruise back to port after brunch. Shuttle drops you in Hanoi around mid-afternoon. Head straight to Noi Bai for a budget flight south — VietJet and Vietnam Airlines both fly Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City for £35-60 if booked a few weeks out. (Alternatively take the Reunification Express sleeper, ~£35, but it eats 33 hours — the flight is worth it for this itinerary.) Check into a District 1 hostel such as The Common Room Saigon or Saigon Backpackers, then hit Bui Vien walking street for a £3 banh mi and beer.
🚌Flight Hanoi–HCMC £35-60, booked via VietJet or Vietnam Airlines
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in District 1 (dorm £5-8, private £20-28)
- →Sunrise viewing & bamboo rowboat
- →Domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh City
- →Evening on Bui Vien walking street
Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City highlights
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Join a half-day group tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels via Klook or GetYourGuide (£15-20 including transport, guide and entrance). Crawl through a section of the 200km tunnel system, see the rice paper workshops, and try the shooting range if that's your thing. Back in the city by early afternoon — walk to Cho Lon market and the hidden Chinese pagoda in District 5, then hit the Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office and City Hall around Dong Khoi. Grab a bowl of hu tieu for dinner (£2) and try a rooftop bar for sunset.
🚌Group tour minibus to Cu Chi included; Grab bikes around city £1-2 per ride
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in District 1 (dorm £5-8, private £20-28)
- →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour
- →Cho Lon market & Chinese pagoda
- →Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office & City Hall
Mekong Delta day trip to My Tho
Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Book a full-day Mekong Delta group tour through Klook or a District 1 travel agent (£18-25 including transport, boat, fruit tasting and lunch). Drive to My Tho, motor down the Mekong branches in a longtail boat, visit an island orchard to try exotic seasonal fruit, and see how coconut candy and rice wine are made. Walk or cycle quiet island paths to glimpse real delta village life. Back in the city by early evening — a low-key dinner at a pho stand costs £2-3.
🚌Group tour minibus + boat included in tour price; back in HCMC by evening
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in District 1 (dorm £5-8, private £20-28)
- →Mekong Delta longtail boat trip
- →Island orchard & fruit tasting
- →Coconut candy workshop & bee farm
- →Cycling island paths
Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Fly HCMC to Siem Reap with VietJet, Cambodia Angkor Air or AirAsia — £60-90 one way. You can also cross overland via the Moc Bai/Bavet border and bus from HCMC to Phnom Penh, then on to Siem Reap, but the flight saves a full day. On arrival get a Cambodian e-visa online in advance (~£25) or pay $30 on arrival. Check into a guesthouse near Pub Street such as Mad Monkey Siem Reap or Lub d — dorms from £5, private rooms £15-20. In the afternoon take a £10 tuk-tuk to Kampong Pluk floating village on Tonle Sap Lake for a boat trip past stilted houses and flooded forest. Evening: visit Artisans d'Angkor workshops, then grab fish amok for £3.
🚌Flight HCMC–Siem Reap £60-90; tuk-tuk to Kampong Pluk & back ~£10
🛏Guesthouse/hostel near Pub Street, Siem Reap (dorm £5, private £15-20)
- →Flight to Siem Reap
- →Kampong Pluk floating village & Tonle Sap boat trip
- →Artisans d'Angkor workshops
Siem Reap — Angkor temples
Angkor, Cambodia
Buy the 1-day Angkor pass (£30) and hire a tuk-tuk driver for the full circuit (~£15-18 for a shared day). Standard big loop: enter via Angkor Thom's south gate, see the Bayon's smiling faces, wander the Terrace of the Leper King and Terrace of the Elephants, then Baphuon, the jungle-swallowed Ta Prohm (your Tomb Raider moment), and finish with Angkor Wat itself for bas-reliefs and a sunset. Alternatively book a small-group sunrise tour via GetYourGuide (£18-25 with guide and transport). Drink plenty of water — it's hot. Back to Pub Street for £1 draft beers.
🚌Tuk-tuk day hire ~£15-18 shared, or small-group sunrise tour £18-25
🛏Guesthouse/hostel near Pub Street, Siem Reap (dorm £5, private £15-20)
- →Angkor Thom & Bayon Temple
- →Terrace of the Leper King & Terrace of the Elephants
- →Baphuon
- →Ta Prohm
- →Angkor Wat & bas-reliefs
Siem Reap to Phuket
Phuket, Thailand
Fly Siem Reap to Phuket — there's no direct route, so connect via Bangkok (AirAsia or Thai Vietjet, £70-110 total) or fly Siem Reap–Bangkok (£35-55) and Bangkok–Phuket (£30-50). Book at least a couple of weeks ahead to keep prices down. Land in Phuket and grab an airport bus or shared minivan to Kata or Karon (£4-6, 1.5hrs) — or Patong if you want the nightlife. Check into a guesthouse such as Meir Jarr or a Kata backpacker spot: dorms from £8, private rooms £20-28. Sunset at Karon Beach, then pad thai and a Chang for dinner.
🚌Flights Siem Reap–Bangkok–Phuket £70-110; airport minivan £5
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Kata, Karon or Patong (dorm £8, private £20-28)
- →Flight connection via Bangkok
- →Transfer to Kata or Karon beach
- →Sunset at Karon Beach
Phuket leisure day — beaches & island hopping
Phuket, Thailand
Free day. Options: relax at Kata Noi or Nai Harn beach (free), take a £20-30 speedboat day trip to Phi Phi Islands via Klook, or a £25-35 James Bond Island/Pang Nga Bay tour. If you'd rather keep it cheap, rent a scooter (~£6/day) and explore the coastline, hitting Karon Viewpoint, Promthep Cape at sunset and the Big Buddha. Night market street food in Phuket Town or Kata runs £3-5 for a full plate.
🚌Local sawngthaew or scooter hire £6/day
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Kata, Karon or Patong (dorm £8, private £20-28)
- →Beach day at Kata Noi or Nai Harn
- →Optional Phi Phi Islands day trip (Klook)
- →Optional scooter loop to Promthep Cape & Big Buddha
Phuket leisure day — snorkelling or Old Town
Phuket, Thailand
Another free day. Choose between a snorkelling trip to Racha or Coral Island (£25-35), a Thai cooking class in Phuket Town (£25), or a half-day heritage walk around Phuket Old Town's Sino-Portuguese shophouses (free). Get a £6-8 Thai massage on the beach, then have dinner at the Sunday Walking Street market in Phuket Town if your timing works (£4-6 for a feast). Pack tonight if you're flying out early.
🚌Songthaew or Grab around the island £2-5 per trip
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Kata, Karon or Patong (dorm £8, private £20-28)
- →Optional snorkelling trip to Racha/Coral Island
- →Phuket Old Town heritage walk
- →Thai massage & night market
Departure from Phuket
Phuket, Thailand
Final morning — a last beach swim or breakfast by the water, then head to Phuket International Airport. The airport bus (Phuket Smart Bus) from Kata/Karon to the airport costs £4-5, or a Grab is £12-18. Check in and fly out. If your onward flight is to Bangkok or a Southeast Asian hub, budget airlines keep it cheap; if you're flying home via the Middle East or Europe, book well ahead. Safe travels.
🚌Phuket Smart Bus to airport £4-5, or Grab £12-18
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Beach morning / breakfast
- →Transfer to Phuket International Airport
Self-launched vs. LVP Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | LVP Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£753 | £1,580 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £827 per person (52%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more LVP Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£753
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 Discover Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand in 12 Days — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £753 per person for 12 days in Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand. 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 LVP Travel?+
Yes — LVP Travel charges around £1,580 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £753 — a saving of roughly £827 (52%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand.
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, backpacker, beaches trip through Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand, 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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