Classic Vietnam Self-Launched: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
10 days · Vietnam
G Adventures charges £1,250
No-markup version: ~£581 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on G Adventures' 10-day Classic Vietnam trip, run independently from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. You'll cruise Ha Long Bay by junk boat, walk the Imperial Citadel in Huế, soak up Hoi An's tailors and beaches, learn Vietnamese noodles in a hands-on class, and finish with the Cu Chi Tunnels and Saigon street life — using budget guesthouses, hostels, local buses, sleeper trains and cheap domestic flights instead of a guided group. Estimated costs are approximate per person and assume a backpacker/budget-hotel standard.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Hanoi
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai Airport and take the local airport bus (Bus 86, ~£1.20) or a Grab into the Old Town, where most budget guesthouses cluster. Settle in, then walk the tree-lined streets around Hoan Kiem Lake and orient yourself over a first bowl of pho. Optional: visit Tran Quoc Pagoda on the eastern shore of Tay Ho lake, one of Vietnam's oldest pagodas — free entry, short Grab ride away.
🚌Airport bus 86 or Grab from Noi Bai (~£1-5)
🛏Old Town hostel or budget guesthouse, dorm or private room (£8-15)
- →Walk Hoan Kiem Lake and Old Town
- →Optional: Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →First pho dinner at a local stall
Ha Long Bay junk boat cruise
Ha Long Bay
Join a bookable overnight junk boat cruise (via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct with a local operator) from Hanoi. A shuttle bus collects you in the morning, then you sail among the limestone karsts, visiting a cave and an island lookout point (often Titop Island for the viewpoint). Seafood lunch and dinner are included on board and you sleep in an en-suite cabin on the water.
🚌Shared minibus from Hanoi to the harbour (~3.5 hrs, included in most cruises)
🛏Junk boat cabin (included in cruise; standard-class boats £55-90 all-in)
- →Sail Ha Long Bay by traditional junk boat
- →Guided cave visit
- →Island lookout viewpoint
- →Sunset on deck
Ha Long back to Hanoi, fly to Huế
Huế
Breakfast on board, then a morning sail back to port and the return shuttle to Hanoi. Take a cheap domestic flight to Huế (VietJet, Bamboo or Vietnam Airlines — book ahead for £35-60) or, for the slow-travel option, the Reunification Express sleeper train from Hanoi to Huế (~13-14 hrs, hard sleeper ~£18-25). Check into a guesthouse in the riverside old quarter.
🚌Ha Long-Hanoi shuttle, then flight (~£35-60) or overnight train (~£20)
🛏Huế guesthouse in the old quarter (£10-16)
- →Morning cruise and sail back
- →Transfer to Noi Bai or Hanoi station
- →Evening arrival in Huế
Huế Imperial Citadel day
Huế
Explore the Imperial Citadel and UNESCO World Heritage complex on foot with an audio guide or a small-group walking tour booked locally — see the walled fortress, former palace, gateways and gardens. Continue to the Royal Tombs (Khai Dinh and Tu Duc are the standouts) and Tien Mu Pagoda by rented bicycle or Grab. Optional evening: a motorbike food tour with a local driver-guide booked via Klook or GetYourGuide.
🚌Bicycle rental (~£2) or Grab around town (~£1-2 per ride)
🛏Huế guesthouse (£10-16)
- →Imperial Citadel self-guided or small-group tour
- →Royal Tombs of Khai Dinh and Tu Duc
- →Tien Mu Pagoda
- →Optional: motorbike food tour
Hai Van Pass to Hoi An
Hoi An
Travel from Huế to Hoi An over the spectacular Hai Van Pass. Options: a shared minibus (~£6-8, ~3-4 hrs), the local bus to Da Nang then onward, or a motorbike 'Easy Rider' transfer with a local driver over the pass (~£20-30) if you want the full coastal view. Arrive in Hoi An, a lantern-lit UNESCO town, and start exploring its tailors, cafes and riverfront.
🚌Shared minibus or Easy Rider over Hai Van Pass (~£6-30)
🛏Hoi An hostel or budget guesthouse (£8-16)
- →Hai Van Pass coastal drive
- →Settle into Hoi An old town
- →Evening lantern walk by the river
Noodle cooking class and Hoi An
Hoi An
Book a hands-on Vietnamese noodle cooking class in town (Oodles of Noodles and similar classes run via Klook, GetYourGuide or directly, ~£12-18) to learn the many regional noodle styles and make your own lunch. Afternoon free: try one of Hoi An's famous tailors, relax on An Bang or Cua Dai beach, or take a riverboat trip to the craft villages.
🚌Walk or bicycle in town (~£2 bike rental)
🛏Hoi An hostel or budget guesthouse (£8-16)
- →Vietnamese noodle cooking class and lunch
- →Tailor fitting
- →Beach time at An Bang
- →Optional riverboat trip
Free day in Hoi An
Hoi An
A full free day. Popular self-bookable options: a half-day tour to the My Son Sanctuary Hindu temple ruins (~£12-18 with transport), a bicycle ride through rice paddies and Tra Que vegetable village, a basket-boat tour in the coconut palms, or more tailoring and beach time. Keep it flexible and book locally or via GetYourGuide.
🚌Bicycle (~£2) or Grab (~£2-4)
🛏Hoi An hostel or budget guesthouse (£8-16)
- →Optional My Son Sanctuary tour
- →Cycling through rice paddies and Tra Que village
- →Basket boat ride
- →Beach and tailoring
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Fly from Da Nang (near Hoi An) to Ho Chi Minh City on a cheap domestic flight (~£35-55 if booked ahead). Transfer into District 1 and check into a budget hotel or hostel. Use the afternoon to wander: Ben Thanh Market, the colonial-era Dong Khoi area, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office, and the buzzing backpacker lanes of Pham Ngu Lao.
🚌Flight Da Nang-HCMC (~£35-55) plus Grab from Tan Son Nhat (~£3-4)
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel (£10-18)
- →Ben Thanh Market
- →Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office
- →Pham Ngu Lao backpacker district
Cu Chi Tunnels and Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City
Take a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour (bookable via GetYourGuide or Klook, ~£12-20 including transport — a shared minibus out, guided tunnel walk-through and firing-range option). Return to the city for free time: the War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, a rooftop drink, or a street-food crawl in District 4 or Chinatown (Cholon).
🚌Shared minibus for Cu Chi (included in tour), Grab around the city
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel (£10-18)
- →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Reunification Palace
- →Evening street-food crawl
Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Depart at any time. If you have a late flight, squeeze in a final banh mi or a coffee at a Vietnamese cafe before heading to Tan Son Nhat Airport by Grab or the local bus 109/152 (~£0.50-2).
🚌Grab or city bus to Tan Son Nhat Airport (~£0.50-4)
🛏None (checkout)
- →Final banh mi and coffee
- →Departure transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£581 | £1,250 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £669 per person (54%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£581
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Classic Vietnam Self-Launched: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £581 per person for 10 days in Vietnam. 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 £1,250 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £581 — a saving of roughly £669 (54%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Vietnam.
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, budget trip through Vietnam, 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.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.