Vietnam & Cambodia Self-Launched: Hanoi to Angkor in 10 Days
10 days · Vietnam & Cambodia
Vietnam Allure Travel charges £1,750
No-markup version: ~£684 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Vietnam Allure Travel's 10-day private Vietnam & Cambodia tour — Hanoi, a Halong Bay overnight cruise, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and Angkor Wat at sunrise. Instead of a private guided package with 4-star hotels and internal flights, you'll book it yourself: hostels and budget guesthouses, overnight/sleeper trains and local buses, street-food tours booked through Klook/GetYourGuide, a mid-range Halong cruise booked direct, and a tuk-tuk driver plus a licensed guide for one day at Angkor. Same highlights, roughly a third of the price. Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP and exclude international flights to/from the region.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter orientation & street-food dinner
Hanoi, Vietnam
Fly into Noi Bai (HAN) and take the Vietjet shuttle bus or Grab (~£4-5) into the Old Quarter. Check into a hostel or budget hotel around Ma May / Hang Bac. Skip the group welcome dinner and do your own: grab a stool at a bia hoi corner for a 20p beer, then bún chả on Hang Manh or phở bò at a local stall. Walk Hoan Kiem Lake at dusk, then book tomorrow's Vespa food tour online tonight (Klook or GetYourGuide, ~£30-40, or a local operator like Hanoi Vespa Tours).
🚌Airport shuttle bus (~£4) or Grab (~£7 shared)
🛏Old Quarter hostel or budget guesthouse (private twin/double ~£15-20/night per person, dorm ~£6-9)
- →Hoan Kiem Lake evening walk
- →Bia hoi corner
- →Bún chả / phở street-food dinner
Hanoi by Vespa — hidden alleys, Train Street and egg coffee
Hanoi, Vietnam
Morning free for the Temple of Literature (~£2) or Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (free). Early afternoon join a self-booked vintage Vespa food tour through Ba Dinh and the railway-side alleys — most tours include bún chả, phở, Vietnamese BBQ and egg coffee, and stop at Train Street. Alternatively, if you'd rather not book ahead, do it on foot: the Vietnam Women's Museum (~£2) plus a self-guided crawl of the Old Quarter's 36 streets. Check Train Street access rules on the day — some entrances are restricted to café customers, so buy a coffee at a trackside café to get in.
🚌Walking; metered taxi or Grab within the city (~£2-3)
🛏Old Quarter hostel or budget guesthouse
- →Self-booked vintage Vespa street food tour (~£35)
- →Train Street
- →Egg coffee at Cafe Giang
- →Temple of Literature
Halong / Lan Ha Bay overnight cruise — kayaking and caves
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Book a mid-range one-night cruise direct or via Klook — look at 3-star junk operators running Lan Ha Bay routes (quieter than Halong proper) with kayaking, swimming and cave visits, usually ~£90-130 per person all-in including transfers, cabin, meals and activities. Morning minibus transfer from Hanoi (~3.5 hrs to the harbour, included in the cruise price). Afternoon kayaking, a cave stop and a swim stop. Ask for a cabin without a single supplement or join a shared twin — solo travellers are common.
🚌Shuttle minibus Hanoi–harbour included in cruise booking
🛏Overnight on a 3-star junk / cruise cabin (twin share)
- →Lan Ha / Halong Bay cruise
- →Kayaking
- →Swimming stop
- →Cave exploration
Tai Chi on deck, then overnight train south to Hoi An
Halong Bay to Hoi An
Sunrise Tai Chi on the sundeck, brunch on board, then the shuttle back to Hanoi early afternoon. Head to Hanoi station for the Reunification Express sleeper to Da Nang — soft-sleeper 4-berth tickets are ~£30-40 and can be booked on 12go.asia or at the station. Trains typically leave Hanoi around 19:00-20:00 and arrive Da Nang ~13:00 next day; from Da Nang it's a 45-minute Grab or local bus (yellow bus no.1, ~£1) to Hoi An. If you'd rather save a day, fly VietJet Hanoi–Da Nang (~£35-50) and stay two nights in Hoi An instead.
🚌Cruise shuttle to Hanoi + Reunification Express sleeper train (~£35)
🛏Sleeper train (4-berth soft sleeper)
- →Sunrise Tai Chi on deck
- →Overnight sleeper train
Hoi An — Old Town, lantern workshop and An Bang beach
Hoi An, Vietnam
Arrive midday, check into a guesthouse or homestay in the Old Town or Cam Nam. Buy the Old Town entry ticket (~£4) which covers the Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky Old House and the assembly halls. Wander the market and book a lantern-making workshop same-day (~£6-10, plenty of shops on Tran Phu and Nguyen Thai Hoc). Late afternoon cycle or Grab to An Bang beach (~£1-2) for a swim and seafood dinner. Evening: the lantern-lit streets and floating candles on the Thu Bon river.
🚌Local bus/Grab from Da Nang (~£2)
🛏Hoi An guesthouse or homestay (~£12-18 pp for a twin)
- →Old Town ticket – Japanese Covered Bridge & Tan Ky Old House
- →Lantern-making workshop
- →An Bang beach
- →Hoi An night market
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City — the city's history circuit
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Morning free in Hoi An (bike ride through the rice paddies to Tra Que village). Afternoon flight Da Nang–Saigon on VietJet/Bamboo (~£40-60 booked a few weeks out). Check into a District 1 hostel or budget hotel near Bui Vien / Pham Ngu Lao. Do the history circuit yourself, all walkable: War Remnants Museum (~£2), Reunification Palace (~£3), Notre-Dame Cathedral exterior and the Central Post Office (free). Evening at the Ben Thanh night market or a bánh mì xíu mại dinner.
🚌Grab to Da Nang airport (~£4) + VietJet flight to SGN (~£50)
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel (~£12-18 pp for a twin, dorm ~£6-8)
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Reunification Palace
- →Notre-Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
- →Ben Thanh night market
Mekong Delta day trip — boats, canals and village life
Mekong Delta / My Tho & Ben Tre
Book a small-group Mekong Delta day tour via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£25-35) — a 1.5-2 hr drive to My Tho or Ben Tre, then a boat along the delta waterways, a rowing-sampan ride through the coconut canals, and stops at a honey farm, coconut candy workshop and local village. Most include lunch. If you'd rather go fully independent, take a local bus to My Tho (~£2) and hire a small boat at the riverfront, but the bookable tour is cheaper and easier. Back in Saigon by early evening.
🚌Included minibus in the day tour; or local bus (~£3 return) if DIY
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel
- →Mekong Delta boat trip
- →Rowing sampan through coconut canals
- →Coconut candy & honey workshop
- →Village visit
Cross into Cambodia — Saigon to Siem Reap
Siem Reap, Cambodia
The fastest option is a direct flight SGN–REP on VietJet or Cambodia Angkor Air (~£60-90 booked in advance, ~1 hr). On a tighter budget: bus Saigon to Phnom Penh (~£10-12, 6 hrs), then a Giant Ibis or Mekong Express bus Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (~£11-13, 6 hrs) — but that's a full day plus, so overnight in Phnom Penh and shift Angkor to Day 9-10, or fly. In Siem Reap, stay in the Old Market / Wat Bo area, buy your Angkor pass (1-day ~£30, 3-day ~£50), and arrange a tuk-tuk driver for the sunrise run (~£12-15 for the day) plus a licensed guide if you want one (~£30-40).
🚌VietJet flight SGN–REP (~£75) or bus via Phnom Penh (~£23 + overnight)
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse or budget hotel (~£10-16 pp for a twin)
- →Old Market area wander
- →Book Angkor pass & tuk-tuk driver
- →Pub Street (optional)
Angkor Wat at sunrise — Angkor Thom, Bayon and Ta Prohm
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Tuk-tuk pickup ~4:45am to be at Angkor Wat for sunrise (arrive by 5:15). Enter at the west causeway, then work the small circuit yourself: Angkor Thom's south gate, the Bayon's face towers, the Terraces of the Elephants and Leper King, then Ta Prohm's tree roots. A licensed guide for the day (~£30-40) is genuinely worth it for the temple history; otherwise use a good audio guide app. Lunch at a local stall near Ta Prohm (~£3). Back by mid-afternoon for a nap. Evening: a self-booked Apsara dance dinner show (~£18-25, e.g. at Koulen II or a smaller local performance at the Angkor National Museum) — or a cheaper traditional dance set at a Temple Club-style restaurant.
🚌Tuk-tuk for the day with sunrise start (~£13)
🛏Siem Reap guesthouse or budget hotel
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Angkor Thom & Bayon
- →Ta Prohm
- →Apsara dance dinner show (~£20)
Tonlé Sap or Kulen Mountain, then fly out
Siem Reap, Cambodia
If your flight is late, use the morning for a Tonlé Sap floating-village boat trip at Kompong Khleang (~£18-22 half-day, quieter and more authentic than Chong Kneas), or a tuk-tuk run up to Phnom Kulen waterfalls (~£25 with a driver). Otherwise, a slow breakfast in the Old Market, a Khmer massage (~£5-8) and a final iced coffee. Tuk-tuk to Siem Reap airport (~£4-5) for your onward flight.
🚌Airport tuk-tuk (~£5)
🛏None — onward travel
- →Tonlé Sap floating village (optional, ~£20)
- →Old Market
- →Khmer massage
Self-launched vs. Vietnam Allure Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Vietnam Allure Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£684 | £1,750 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,066 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Vietnam Allure Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£684
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 Vietnam & Cambodia Self-Launched: Hanoi to Angkor in 10 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £684 per person for 10 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 Vietnam Allure Travel?+
Yes — Vietnam Allure Travel charges around £1,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £684 — a saving of roughly £1,066 (61%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam & Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 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, foodie, adventure 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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