Grand Indochina Self-Launched: Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand in 21 Days

Land at Noi Bai (HAN) and take the Vietjet shuttle bus or bus 86 into the city for around £1.30 — a Grab/taxi is £8-10. Check into a hostel private room or budget guesthouse in the Old Quarter (£12-18). Skip the paid cyclo and simply walk the 36 streets yourself at dusk, loop Hoan Kiem Lake and cross the red Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple (about £1). Book tomorrow's city day tour and your Sapa train ticket tonight (sleeper berth Hanoi–Lao Cai roughly £18-22, soft-sleeper 4-berth).

🚌Bus 86 or Grab from Noi Bai airport (~£1.30-10)

🛏Old Quarter hostel private room or budget guesthouse, Hanoi (£12-18/night)

• →Self-guided Old Quarter walk
• →Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple
• →Book Sapa sleeper train and Halong cruise

Do the classic Hanoi cluster on a self-bookable small-group city tour (Klook/GetYourGuide, £25-35) or DIY with a Grab: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and stilt house, One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Temple of Literature (about £1.50), Hoa Lo Prison (about £1.50). Lunch on bun cha or pho for £2-3. Spend late afternoon around Hoan Kiem, grab a £1.50 bia hoi, then head to Hanoi station for the ~21:00 sleeper to Lao Cai.

🚌Sleeper train Hanoi–Lao Cai, ~8-9h overnight

🛏Soft-sleeper 4-berth train berth, Hanoi–Lao Cai (~£20)

• →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & stilt house
• →One Pillar Pagoda & Tran Quoc Pagoda
• →Temple of Literature
• →Hoa Lo Prison
• →Street-food lunch in the Old Quarter

Arrive Lao Cai around 05:30 and take the shared minibus up to Sapa (about £2.50, 1 hour). Drop bags at a Sapa guesthouse or 3-star hotel (£14-20) and walk down to Cat Cat village — now ticketed at roughly £3 — for the waterfall, Hmong village and terraced valley views. Afternoon free for Sapa town, the market and the lake. Book a guided trek for tomorrow with your guesthouse or a local Hmong guide (£15-20 for a full day).

🚌Shared minibus Lao Cai–Sapa (~£2.50) + local walking

🛏Sapa guesthouse or 3-star hotel (£14-20/night)

• →Cat Cat village walk
• →Sapa town market & lake
• →Book local Hmong trekking guide

The full-day Muong Hoa valley walk: from Sapa down to Lao Chai, along the river to Ta Van, then up to Giang Ta Chai — about 5 hours of walking through the terraces, with a £3 village lunch stop. Local guides charge £15-20 per person for the day. Return to Sapa, shower and eat, then catch the evening minibus to Lao Cai for the ~21:00 sleeper back to Hanoi (£20).

🚌Shared minibus Sapa–Lao Cai (~£2.50) + sleeper train (~£20)

🛏Soft-sleeper train berth, Lao Cai–Hanoi (~£20)

• →5-hour Muong Hoa valley trek
• →Lao Chai & Ta Van villages
• →Giang Ta Chai waterfall
• →Terraced rice-field viewpoints

Arrive early morning and check back into a Hanoi guesthouse (£12-18). Slow morning, then spend the afternoon on the things you missed: the Women's Museum (£1.50), the Fine Arts Museum, or a £10 street-food walking tour booked through GetYourGuide. Tonight, confirm your Halong Bay one-night cruise — book online in advance with a mid-range operator (Amanda or similar class, £95-130 including cabin, all meals, kayaking and transfers).

🚌Walking and short Grabs (£2-4)

🛏Hanoi guesthouse private room (£12-18/night)

• →Vietnamese Women's Museum
• →Optional evening street-food tour
• →Confirm Halong Bay cruise booking

Shared shuttle from the Old Quarter around 08:00 (usually included in the cruise price). Board a mid-range junk, cruise out among the limestone karsts, visit Surprising Cave or a kayak-only cave, kayak and swim before dinner on deck. One-night cruises at the 3-4 star 'deluxe' tier run £95-130 per person for a twin/double cabin with all meals — considerably less than the operator's 5-star upgrade and still the same bay.

🚌Shared shuttle Hanoi–Halong–Hanoi (included in cruise)

🛏Overnight on a mid-range Halong Bay junk, twin cabin (part of £95-130 cruise)

• →Halong Bay island cruise
• →Kayaking among the karsts
• →Swimming stop
• →Cave visit (e.g. Sung Sot)

Morning kayak and brunch on board, back at the pier by late morning and in Hanoi by mid-afternoon. Take the airport shuttle to Noi Bai for an evening VietJet/Bamboo flight to Hue (one-way from £30-45 if booked early). Overnight in a Hue guesthouse or 3-star on the river (£12-18). Alternatively, the Reunification Express sleeper Hanoi–Hue is about £22-28 but eats a full day.

🚌Cruise shuttle to Hanoi + flight Hanoi–Hue (~£30-45)

🛏Hue riverside guesthouse or 3-star (£12-18/night)

• →Sunrise on the bay
• →Optional pearl-farm stop
• →Evening stroll along the Perfume River in Hue

Rent a scooter with driver or a bicycle and do the classic Hue loop yourself: boat or bridge across to Thien Mu Pagoda (free), the Citadel and Imperial Enclosure (£4), then the tombs of Minh Mang (£3) and Khai Dinh (£3). Dong Ba Market for lunch. A self-bookable full-day Hue countryside tour with a local guide, incense-making village and conical-hat workshop runs £25-35 if you'd rather be driven and guided. A private car for the day with driver is about £30 and can be split.

🚌Bicycle/scooter rental or split private car (£5-15)

🛏Hue riverside guesthouse or 3-star (£12-18/night)

• →Thien Mu Pagoda
• →Hue Citadel & Imperial Enclosure
• →Tomb of Minh Mang
• →Tomb of Khai Dinh
• →Dong Ba Market
• →Incense & conical hat making village

The scenic way south: take a shared limousine bus (£8-10, ~3.5h) or, better, hire a motorbike driver for the Hai Van Pass run (£20-25 including stops, luggage goes in the van). Arrive Hoi An, check into a budget hotel in the old-town fringe or a homestay (£12-18). Afternoon in the Ancient Town — the combined ticket is £6 for five heritage houses, the Japanese Bridge and assembly halls. Evening: lanterns on the Thu Bon and cao lau for dinner (£3).

🚌Shared limousine bus or motorbike transfer Hue–Hoi An (£8-25)

🛏Hoi An budget hotel or homestay (£12-18/night)

• →Hai Van Pass drive
• →Hoi An Ancient Town ticket & Japanese Bridge
• →Lantern-lit riverside evening
• →Cao lau noodles

Rent a bicycle (£1.50/day) and do the villages the operator does: Thanh Ha pottery village (pottery wheel session £3-4), Kim Bong carpentry village across the river by local ferry (£1), and Tra Que vegetable village where a half-day farming experience with lunch is £10-15 booked direct on arrival. Alternatively a self-bookable Hoi An countryside cycling tour on GetYourGuide is £25-30 and covers all three plus a basket-boat ride.

🚌Bicycle rental (~£1.50) and local ferry (~£1)

🛏Hoi An budget hotel or homestay (£12-18/night)

• →Thanh Ha pottery village & pottery class
• →Kim Bong carpentry village
• →Tra Que vegetable village farm experience
• →Cycling the Thu Bon riverbank

Shared shuttle to Da Nang airport (£5-8), then a midday VietJet/Bamboo flight to Saigon (from £30-45). Check into a District 1 guesthouse or 3-star (£14-20). Walk the city centre yourself: Reunification Palace (£3), Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (free), Ben Thanh Market. Late afternoon at the War Remnants Museum (£2) — leave enough time, it deserves two hours.

🚌Shuttle to Da Nang airport + flight to Saigon (~£35-50)

🛏District 1 guesthouse or 3-star, Saigon (£14-20/night)

• →Reunification Palace
• →Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
• →War Remnants Museum
• →Ben Thanh Market

Self-bookable half-day Cu Chi tour through Klook or GetYourGuide runs £15-22 including bus transfer and entrance (direct bus 13 from Ben Thanh to Cu Chi is about £1 each way plus £2 entry, but the tour is easier). Afternoon free: the Fine Arts Museum or a rooftop beer on Bui Vien. Book tomorrow's Mekong Delta bus and a Can Tho homestay tonight.

🚌Tour minibus to Cu Chi and back (included) + local Grabs

🛏District 1 guesthouse or 3-star, Saigon (£14-20/night)

• →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour
• →Optional Fine Arts Museum
• →Evening on Bui Vien walking street

Take a morning open-tour coach or local bus from Saigon's Mien Tay station to Can Tho — Futa/Phuong Trang limousine buses are about £6 and take 3.5-4 hours. On the way, or on arrival, arrange a Ben Tre/Mekong boat trip with a local operator (~£15-20, includes fruit orchard walk and a family workshop). Overnight in a Can Tho guesthouse or budget hotel near the river (£12-16).

🚌Luxury limousine bus Saigon–Can Tho (~£6)

🛏Can Tho riverside guesthouse or budget hotel (£12-16/night)

• →Mekong Delta boat trip and fruit orchard walk
• →Local family business visit (coconut candy, rice paper)
• →Can Tho riverside evening

Be on the water by 05:30 — hire a small rowing boat direct at the Cai Rang dock for £8-12 (an hour or two) rather than a packaged tour. Watch the floating market, noodle-soup boats and the bamboo 'monkey bridge' villages. Back for breakfast, then take the local bus or shared van to Chau Doc via Long Xuyen (£5-7, about 3h). Late afternoon at Tra Su bird sanctuary — the forest canal boat is about £7-9 including the rowboat — and overnight in Chau Doc (£12-16).

🚌Local bus/van Can Tho–Chau Doc (~£6) + boats

🛏Chau Doc guesthouse or budget hotel (£12-16/night)

• →Cai Rang floating market at dawn
• →Vermicelli-soup boat & bamboo monkey bridge
• →Tra Su cajuput forest bird sanctuary

Do the early Cham village and fish-farm rowing boat trip (£5-8) around Chau Doc's floating houses, then take the Chau Doc–Phnom Penh speedboat (Hang Chau or Blue Cruiser, about £24-30, 4-5 hours including border formalities). Get your Cambodia e-visa in advance (£28). Arrive Phnom Penh mid-afternoon; tuk-tuk to a riverside guesthouse (£10-15). Evening on Sisowath Quay or at the night market.

🚌Speedboat Chau Doc–Phnom Penh (~£24-30) + tuk-tuks

🛏Phnom Penh riverside guesthouse or budget hotel (£10-15/night)

• →Cham village weaving community boat visit
• →Floating fish farms
• →Sisowath Quay riverside evening

Hire a tuk-tuk driver for the full circuit for £12-15 (split between two). Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda entrance is £8; Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum £4; Choeung Ek Killing Fields £5 including audio guide. A self-bookable half-day genocide history tour with a guide is £25-30 if you want context. It's a heavy day — build in a slow café stop in between. Overnight same guesthouse.

🚌Tuk-tuk hired by the day (~£13, split)

🛏Phnom Penh riverside guesthouse or budget hotel (£10-15/night)

• →Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
• →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
• →Choeung Ek Killing Fields
• →Tuk-tuk circuit with local driver

Take a Giant Ibis or Virak Buntham VIP night/morning bus Phnom Penh–Siem Reap — about £12-15 and 6 hours. Arrive afternoon, check into a guesthouse or budget hotel near Wat Bo or the old market (£10-16), and buy your Angkor pass (1-day £29, 3-day £50) at the Apsara Authority office or online. Rent a bicycle (£2-3/day) or, better, book a tuk-tuk driver for tomorrow's circuit (£15-18 for a full day) and catch sunset at Phnom Bakheng.

🚌VIP bus Phnom Penh–Siem Reap (~£13)

🛏Siem Reap guesthouse or budget hotel (£10-16/night)

• →Buy Angkor archaeological pass
• →Phnom Bakheng sunset
• →Book tuk-tuk driver for temple circuit
• →Pub Street or old market evening

With your tuk-tuk driver, start at dawn for Angkor Wat, then Angkor Thom via the South Gate, Bayon, Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King, Ta Prohm and Banteay Kdei. If you want Banteay Srei (25km out) and Neak Pean/Ta Som, either add a second day on the pass (£50 for 3 days) or pay the driver an extra £8-10 for the loop. A licensed guide for the day is £35-45 and genuinely transforms Angkor — split it if you meet people at the guesthouse.

🚌Tuk-tuk and driver for the circuit (~£16, split)

🛏Siem Reap guesthouse or budget hotel (£10-16/night)

• →Angkor Wat at sunrise
• →Angkor Thom, South Gate & Bayon
• →Elephants Terrace & Leper King Terrace
• →Ta Prohm
• →Optional Banteay Srei and Neak Pean

Morning: Artisans Angkor carving school is free to visit, and a Kompong Khleang or Kompong Phluk stilted-village boat trip on Tonle Sap is £15-20 booked direct at the dock or through your guesthouse. Afternoon, either the bus Siem Reap→Bangkok (Giant Ibis/Nattakan, £22-28, about 9h arriving evening) or the faster route: shared taxi/tuk-tuk to Poipet (£5-8) and the Thai side bus/train from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok (£2-4). Overnight in a Bangkok guesthouse or 3-star near Khao San or Sukhumvit (£14-22).

🚌Bus or border-crossing combo Siem Reap–Bangkok (~£25-30)

🛏Bangkok guesthouse or budget hotel (£14-22/night)

• →Artisans Angkor carving school
• →Tonle Sap stilted-village boat trip
• →Border crossing at Poipet

Do the temples on foot and by ferry before the heat. Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (£11, covered shoulders/legs, arrive at 08:30), then walk to Wat Pho (£5.50) for the Reclining Buddha and a £9 massage at the temple's own school. Cross on the £0.60 public ferry to Wat Arun (£2.50) and finish at Wat Traimit (£1). A long-tail boat canal trip from Tha Tien is £25-35 private (split it) or £4 on the public Chao Phraya Express Boat. Self-bookable temple walking tours run £25-35 if you want a guide.

🚌Public ferry and river boat (~£5) + walking

🛏Bangkok guesthouse or budget hotel (£14-22/night)

• →Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
• →Wat Pho Reclining Buddha
• →Wat Arun by public ferry
• →Wat Traimit Golden Buddha
• →Chao Phraya river boat

If your flight is late: the ordinary train from Hua Lamphong to Ayutthaya is £0.60-1 and takes 1.5-2h; bicycle rental there is £3 and the historical park pass is £6 — a superb self-launched substitute for the operator's optional add-on. Otherwise spend the morning at the Chatuchak weekend market or a long-tail boat loop through the Thonburi canals, then take the Airport Rail Link to Suvarnabhumi (£1) or the SRT Red Line to Don Mueang (£0.50).

🚌Train to Ayutthaya (~£1) or Airport Rail Link (~£1)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Optional Ayutthaya historical park by train and bicycle
• →Chatuchak market (weekends)
• →Airport Rail Link to Suvarnabhumi