The Best of Vietnam & Cambodia — Self-Launched
16 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
G Adventures charges £1,468
No-markup version: ~£689 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of G Adventures' 16-day Hanoi-to-Siem-Reap Classic trip. You'll do the same route — Hanoi, an overnight junk boat in Ha Long Bay, the Reunification Express to Hue, the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An, a cheap domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh City, the Cu Chi Tunnels, an overland border crossing to Phnom Penh, and two days at Angkor — but booking hostels and guesthouses directly, riding local buses and trains, and buying the handful of guided experiences (Angkor guide, Cu Chi, Killing Fields audio guide) individually. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi, Vietnam
Fly into Noi Bai (complete Vietnam's online Pre-Arrival Declaration within 3 days of arrival). Take the Vietjet/Jetstar airport bus #86 or #17 (~£1.20) or a Grab car (~£7) into the Old Quarter. Book a hostel dorm or private budget room around Ma May / Hang Bac. Spend the afternoon walking Hoan Kiem Lake, then do a self-guided street-food crawl — bun cha, pho, egg coffee — for well under £5. Evening: Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (~£7) if you fancy it.
🚌Airport bus #86 (~£1.20) or Grab (~£7)
🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm or budget guesthouse
- →Old Quarter walking loop
- →Hoan Kiem Lake
- →Street food crawl
- →Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (optional)
Hanoi → Ha Long Bay overnight junk boat
Ha Long Bay
The group tour's Ha Long cruise is the one element worth booking as a package — a 2D/1N budget junk boat (book via GetYourGuide, Klook or your hostel) includes transfer from Hanoi, all meals, kayaking and cave visits. Budget boats run ~£85–120pp including the £20-ish bay entrance fee. Expect a seafood lunch and dinner on board and a stop at an island lookout.
🚌Shuttle bus from Hanoi included in cruise package (~3.5 hrs)
🛏Overnight on junk boat (twin cabin, shared bathroom on budget boats)
- →Ha Long Bay boat cruise
- →Sung Sot or Thien Cung cave
- →Island lookout viewpoint
- →Kayaking (often included)
- →Seafood dinner on board
Ha Long → Hanoi → overnight train to Hue
Hanoi / Reunification Express
Breakfast and lunch on the boat, then shuttle back to Hanoi mid-afternoon. Use the gap to see Tran Quoc Pagoda (free) and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area, or grab a £2 beer near Ta Hien. Book a soft-sleeper berth on the SE train to Hue in advance via the Vietnam Railways website or a local agent (~£22–30 for soft sleeper, 12–13 hrs). Stock up on water, fruit and bread before boarding — food on the train is basic.
🚌Shuttle to Hanoi + overnight Reunification Express soft sleeper to Hue (~£25)
🛏Sleeper train, 4-berth soft sleeper
- →Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum exterior
- →Bia Hoi corner in the Old Quarter
Hue — Imperial Citadel and Royal Tombs
Hue, Vietnam
Arrive early morning, drop bags at your guesthouse in the backpacker strip around Pham Ngu Lao, and rent a bicycle or Grab to the Imperial Citadel. The Citadel entry (~£5) includes the Forbidden Purple City. In the afternoon, self-cycle or Grab to Tu Duc or Khai Dinh Royal Tomb (~£4 each) and Thien Mu Pagoda (free). Optional: a motorbike tour with a local driver (~£15–20 for a half day) is a great way to string the tombs, the incense village and the Perfume River together.
🚌Bicycle hire (~£1.50/day) and Grab
🛏Hue guesthouse or hostel, Pham Ngu Lao area
- →Imperial Citadel & Forbidden Purple City
- →Khai Dinh or Tu Duc Royal Tomb
- →Thien Mu Pagoda
- →Motorbike tour with local driver (optional)
Hue → Hoi An over the Hai Van Pass
Hoi An, Vietnam
Skip the private vehicle: take a local bus or shared minibus from Hue to Hoi An (~£6–8, 3–4 hrs). For the full experience, hire an 'Easy Rider' motorbike driver to take you over the Hai Van Pass via Lang Co beach and Marble Mountains (~£25–35 including stops) — this is the backpacker classic version of the group tour's drive. Arrive Hoi An, check into a guesthouse in the Old Town or An Bang beach area, and wander the lantern-lit streets at dusk (Old Town ticket ~£5).
🚌Local bus/minibus (~£7) or Easy Rider motorbike transfer (~£30)
🛏Hoi An guesthouse or hostel (Old Town or An Bang)
- →Hai Van Pass
- →Lang Co beach stop
- →Marble Mountains (optional)
- →Hoi An lantern-lit Old Town
Hoi An — cooking class and tailoring
Hoi An, Vietnam
Do a half-day Vietnamese cooking class (~£25–35 via GetYourGuide or Klook) including a market visit and a basket-boat ride — this replaces the group tour's 'Oodles of Noodles' noodle-making session, and several Hoi An operators support the same community projects. Afternoon: get something tailor-made (allow £25–60 for a shirt/dress and 24–48 hrs), then cycle to An Bang beach for sunset (£1.50 bike hire).
🚌Bicycle hire
🛏Hoi An guesthouse or hostel
- →Half-day Vietnamese cooking class with market visit
- →Basket boat ride
- →Tailor fitting
- →An Bang beach sunset
Hoi An — My Son ruins or free day
Hoi An, Vietnam
Take an early shared minibus or Grab to the My Son Cham ruins (~£10 return transport + ~£5 entry; guided tours ~£25–35) to beat the heat and the crowds. Alternatively make it a beach-and-cafe day. Evening: Riverside night market and cao lau noodles for dinner.
🚌Shared minibus or Grab to My Son (~£10)
🛏Hoi An guesthouse or hostel
- →My Son Cham ruins (optional)
- →An Bang or Cua Dai beach
- →Hoi An night market
Fly Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Bus to Da Nang airport (~£4, 45 mins) and fly Vietjet/Bamboo/Vietnam Airlines to Saigon (~£30–45 booked a few weeks ahead, 1h20). Arrive, check into a hostel in District 1 (Pham Ngu Lao / Bui Vien area) and explore on foot: Ben Thanh Market, the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral exterior, and the War Remnants Museum (~£1.50). Cheap dinner at a banh mi stall.
🚌Bus to Da Nang (~£4) + domestic flight to SGN (~£35) + airport Grab (~£4)
🛏District 1 hostel dorm
- →Ben Thanh Market
- →Central Post Office
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Bui Vien walking street
Cu Chi Tunnels
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Book a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour (~£15–20 via GetYourGuide/Klook, including transport and entry) — go on the earlier departure to dodge the heat. Afternoon free: Reunification Palace (~£2), Thien Hau Pagoda in Cholon, or a £3 foot massage. The group tour's guided Cu Chi visit is exactly the sort of thing worth buying individually.
🚌Tour minibus to Cu Chi (included), then walking/Grab
🛏District 1 hostel dorm
- →Cu Chi Tunnels guided half-day
- →Reunification Palace (optional)
- →Cholon / Thien Hau Pagoda
- →Ben Thanh street food
Mekong Delta day trip
Ho Chi Minh City / Mekong Delta
Take a full-day Mekong Delta tour to My Tho and Ben Tre (~£25–35 — Klook and GetYourGuide both list this, and it's a listed optional extra on the original trip too). Expect a boat through the canals, coconut candy workshops and a honey-tea stop. Back in Saigon by evening for dinner.
🚌Tour bus and boat (included in day trip)
🛏District 1 hostel dorm
- →Full-day Mekong Delta boat tour
- →Coconut candy & honey workshops
- →Canal boat rides
Ho Chi Minh City → Phnom Penh overland
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Book a bus from Saigon's Pham Ngu Lao street or the Kumho/Sapaco stations to Phnom Penh via the Moc Bai–Bavet border (~£12–18, 6–7 hrs including border formalities; arrange the Cambodia e-visa online in advance, ~£28, or get visa on arrival at Bavet for ~£25 with a passport photo). Arrive Phnom Penh mid-afternoon, check into a guesthouse near the riverside, and take a short cyclo loop around Wat Phnom, the Royal Palace exterior and the National Museum at dusk (~£5 for a cyclo tour).
🚌Sapaco/Kumho bus Saigon–Phnom Penh (~£15); cyclo in town (~£5)
🛏Riverside guesthouse or hostel, Phnom Penh
- →Overland Moc Bai–Bavet border crossing
- →Cyclo tour of central Phnom Penh
- →Riverside sunset
Phnom Penh — Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Visit Tuol Sleng (S-21) Prison Museum (~£4 entry) with the audio guide (~£3) — it's genuinely excellent and replaces the group tour's guide. Then take a tuk-tuk to Choeung Ek Killing Fields (~£5–7 return, ~£4 entry with audio guide). The afternoon is free: Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda (~£8), National Museum (~£8), or the Central and Russian markets.
🚌Tuk-tuk between sites (~£7 total)
🛏Riverside guesthouse or hostel, Phnom Penh
- →Tuol Sleng (S-21) Prison Museum + audio guide
- →Choeung Ek Killing Fields
- →Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda (optional)
- →Russian Market
Phnom Penh → Siem Reap
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Take a Giant Ibis or Larryta VIP bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (~£12–15, 6 hrs) — comfortable, air-conditioned and easy to book the day before. Arrive late afternoon, check into a hostel or guesthouse around Wat Bo Road or Pub Street, and walk to Wat Preah Prom Rath. Optional evening: Phare Circus (~£12–18, book direct — it's a real highlight and much cheaper bought independently).
🚌Giant Ibis bus (~£14)
🛏Siem Reap hostel or guesthouse (Wat Bo / central)
- →Bus transfer to Siem Reap
- →Wat Preah Prom Rath
- →Phare Circus (optional)
- →Pub Street night market
Angkor — small circuit and sunrise
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Buy the 3-day Angkor pass (~£50) and hire a tuk-tuk driver for the day (~£15–18, split if you find others at your hostel). Start before dawn for sunrise at Angkor Wat, then continue to Angkor Thom and the Bayon faces, Ta Prohm (the 'Tomb Raider' temple) and Banteay Kdei. A licensed guide for a half day costs ~£25–35 and is worth splitting — or use a good audio/guidebook app instead. Back to town for a late lunch and an afternoon by the pool.
🚌Tuk-tuk driver for the day (~£16, shared)
🛏Siem Reap hostel or guesthouse
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Angkor Thom & Bayon
- →Ta Prohm
- →Banteay Kdei
Angkor — grand circuit and floating village
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Second day on the Angkor pass: the grand circuit including Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som and East Mebon — much quieter than day one. In the afternoon, head to Kompong Khleang or Kompong Phluk floating village on Tonle Sap (~£20–25 with a shared tuk-tuk and boat) for a look at life on the lake. Final evening: cheap Khmer barbecue or amok in town.
🚌Tuk-tuk for the day (~£16) + boat at floating village (~£10)
🛏Siem Reap hostel or guesthouse
- →Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, East Mebon
- →Tonle Sap floating village (optional)
- →Khmer dinner in town
Siem Reap — departure
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Morning free for the Angkor National Museum (~£10) or a last market browse, then a tuk-tuk to Siem Reap airport (~£4) for onward flights. Remember the Cambodia e-Arrival / departure formalities and check your Vietnam exit stamp is in order if you're connecting back through Hanoi or Saigon.
🚌Tuk-tuk to airport (~£4)
🛏N/A — travel day
- →Angkor National Museum (optional)
- →Old Market shopping
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£689 | £1,468 |
| Duration | 16 days | 16 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £779 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£689
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 The Best of Vietnam & Cambodia — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £689 per person for 16 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,468 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £689 — a saving of roughly £779 (53%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 16 days, covering 16 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, foodie 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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