Discover Vietnam in 7 Days — Self-Launched
7 days · Vietnam
LVP Travel charges £700
No-markup version: ~£381 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of LVP Travel's 7-day Hanoi-to-Ho-Chi-Minh-City loop: Hanoi Old Quarter, Hoa Lu & Tam Coc by bike and sampan, an overnight Halong Bay cruise, then the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels from Saigon. Instead of a 25-person group with hotels and transfers bundled in, you book each leg yourself — budget guesthouses and hostels, tourist sleeper trains or cheap flights south, and day tours booked direct or via Klook/GetYourGuide. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights, travel insurance and visas.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai (HAN) and take the public bus #86 or a Grab bike/car into the Old Quarter (~£1.50-5 / 45-60 min) instead of a private airport transfer. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Hoan Kiem Lake, then walk the 36 Streets loop, try bun cha or pho bo for dinner, and catch a water puppet show at Thang Long theatre (book via Klook, ~£4-5). A cyclo ride round the lake is ~£3-4 if you fancy it.
🚌Airport bus #86 or Grab into Old Quarter; everything else on foot
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Old Quarter (dorm £6-9, private double £14-20)
- →Old Quarter walking loop
- →Hoan Kiem Lake
- →Water Puppet Show (Klook, ~£4-5)
- →Optional cyclo ride ~£3-4
Hoa Lu & Tam Coc day tour — karst, sampan and cycling
Ninh Binh / Hanoi
Join a small-group Hoa Lu–Tam Coc day tour (bookable via Klook or GetYourGuide from ~£28-35, including lunch, sampan boat and bike hire) — the same itinerary LVP includes, just on a public day tour. You'll visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu and the Dinh/Le dynasty temples, row by sampan through the Tam Coc caves, then cycle through rice paddies and limestone outcrops toward Bich Dong. Alternatively DIY it: public bus or train to Ninh Binh (~£3-5), local bike hire ~£2, boat ticket ~£7. Back to Hanoi for the evening.
🚌Included minibus on day tour, or public train/bus to Ninh Binh (~£3-5) if DIY
🛏Same Hanoi hostel/guesthouse
- →Hoa Lu ancient capital & temples
- →Tam Coc sampan boat ride
- →Cycling Tam Coc–Bich Dong villages
- →Optional Hang Mua viewpoint climb ~£4
Halong Bay overnight cruise
Halong Bay
Take a budget overnight Halong Bay cruise — 3-star junk boats sell direct or via Klook/GetYourGuide from roughly £85-110 per person for a 1-night/2-day trip including transfers from Hanoi, all meals, kayaking, cooking class and cave visits. You'll visit Titop Island for a swim and hilltop viewpoint trek, kayak around the floating pearl farm, do a sunset cooking demo on deck, and sleep in a twin/double cabin. Book a couple of weeks ahead in high season (Oct-Apr).
🚌Shuttle bus from Hanoi Old Quarter included in cruise (~3.5 hrs each way)
🛏Twin/double cabin on a 3-star Halong junk (included in cruise price)
- →Cruise through Halong Bay karst islands
- →Titop Island swim & viewpoint
- →Kayaking at Pearl Farm Village
- →Onboard cooking class
- →Sunset on the sundeck
Surprise Cave, then south to Ho Chi Minh City
Halong Bay → Hanoi → Ho Chi Minh City
Morning tai chi on deck, then explore Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave before brunch on board and the shuttle back to Hanoi (~4-5 hrs). From Hanoi, either fly south (VietJet/Bamboo, ~£35-55 one way, 2 hrs) or take the Reunification Express sleeper train (~£30-45 in a soft sleeper, 30+ hrs — better as a separate overnight leg). Flying keeps the 7-day shape intact. Check into a District 1 guesthouse or hostel in Saigon and hit the Ben Thanh night market for dinner.
🚌Cruise shuttle to Hanoi; budget flight HAN–SGN ~£35-55 (or Reunification Express sleeper ~£30-45)
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in District 1, Saigon (dorm £7-10, private £16-25)
- →Tai chi on sundeck
- →Surprise Cave (Sung Sot)
- →Evening Ben Thanh market food crawl
Mekong Delta — My Tho, Ben Tre and coconut canals
Mekong Delta / Ho Chi Minh City
Book a small-group Mekong Delta day tour from Saigon via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£22-30 including lunch) — the same My Tho/Ben Tre route LVP runs. You'll visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, boat along the Mekong past stilt houses and fruit plantations, ride a hand-rowed sampan through coconut-palm canals, sip honey tea with Southern folk music, and cycle through a fruit village. Return to Saigon by late afternoon; evening free in Bui Vien or a rooftop bar.
🚌Air-conditioned minibus on day tour (~2 hrs each way); no public transport needed
🛏Same Saigon hostel/guesthouse
- →Vinh Trang Pagoda
- →Mekong river boat & Tortoise Islet
- →Hand-rowed sampan in coconut canals
- →Honey tea & folk music stop
- →Fruit plantation village visit
Cu Chi Tunnels & optional city sights
Cu Chi / Ho Chi Minh City
Join a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour (~£18-25 incl. entry and transport, bookable on Klook/GetYourGuide) covering the tunnel network, trap doors, kitchens and weapons workshops, a short documentary, and a taste of wartime rice tapioca and tea. The shooting range is an optional extra paid on site. Back in Saigon by early afternoon: add the War Remnants Museum (~£2) and Notre Dame Cathedral / Central Post Office, or book the same-day Cu Chi by public bus #13 + #79 for ~£1.50 if you want to DIY.
🚌Tour minibus (~1.5 hrs each way), or public buses #13/#79 for ~£1.50 DIY
🛏Same Saigon hostel/guesthouse
- →Cu Chi Tunnels guided half-day
- →Rice tapioca & tea tasting
- →War Remnants Museum ~£2
- →Central Post Office & Notre Dame exterior
Saigon farewell
Ho Chi Minh City
Breakfast at a banh mi stall or cafe, a last wander through the alleys of District 1 or a quick tailoring stop (the reviewer's Tam tailor tip), then transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport by Grab or the #109 airport bus (~£1.50) for your onward flight. If your flight is late, drop your bag and do the Reunification Palace or a coffee shop overlooking the skyline.
🚌Grab or airport bus #109 to Tan Son Nhat (~£1.50-4)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Banh mi breakfast
- →Last-minute Saigon wander or tailoring
- →Reunification Palace (optional, ~£2.50)
Self-launched vs. LVP Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | LVP Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£381 | £700 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £319 per person (46%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more LVP Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£381
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 in 7 Days — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £381 per person for 7 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 LVP Travel?+
Yes — LVP Travel charges around £700 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £381 — a saving of roughly £319 (46%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 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 adventure, culture, foodie 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?
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