Incredible Vietnam: Self-Launched Hanoi to Saigon Adventure
9 days · Vietnam
Travel Talk charges £950
No-markup version: ~£640 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 9-day run from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City covering the same headline stops as Travel Talk's "Incredible Vietnam" tour — Hanoi's old quarter and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an overnight junk boat in Halong Bay, Hoi An's lantern-lit old town, the Marble Mountains and Hai Van Pass, imperial Hue, and Saigon's war history — but booked independently using hostels and budget guesthouses, local trains and open buses, and self-bookable day tours. Expect roughly £600-700 all-in versus $1,225 (£950+) for the group tour, with the freedom to linger where you like. All costs are approximate per person and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Hanoi & Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai Airport (HAN) and take bus 86 into the city centre (~£1.20, ~50 mins) or a Grab ride (~£8-10 shared). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Old Quarter. Spend the afternoon wandering Hoan Kiem Lake, crossing the red Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple (entry ~£1), and getting lost in the 36 streets. Evening: grab a bia hoi corner stool (~50p a glass) and a bowl of bun cha, then book your Halong Bay overnight trip for tomorrow at a local agent on Ma May or Hang Bac street (shop around — dorm-style junk boats from ~£55-75 including transfers and meals).
🚌Airport bus 86 (~£1.20) or Grab (~£8-10 shared)
🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm (~£7-10) or budget private room (~£16-20)
- →Hoan Kiem Lake walk
- →Ngoc Son Temple
- →Old Quarter street food crawl
- →Book Halong Bay overnight trip
Hanoi highlights: Mausoleum, Temple of Literature & lake
Hanoi
Do the classic Hanoi circuit DIY. Start early (7:30-8am) at Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square — free entry, closed Mon & Fri, and get there before the 10am queue. Continue to the stilt house and the One Pillar Pagoda in the same complex. Walk 15 minutes to the Temple of Literature (~£1.20 entry), Vietnam's first university. Lunch: pho or bun cha at a local spot (~£2-3). Afternoon: wander the French Quarter, seen the Opera House exterior, or take a free walking tour (tip-based, ~£4-5 tip). Book your overnight train or flight south for tomorrow night — the Reunification Express sleeper from Hanoi to Danang is ~£30-40 in a soft sleeper (28+ hours) so most independent travellers fly instead (~£30-45 one-way on VietJet/Bamboo, ~1h20).
🚌Walking / Grab motorbike taxis (~£1-2 per hop)
🛏Old Quarter hostel dorm (~£7-10) or budget private room (~£16-20)
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (free)
- →One Pillar Pagoda
- →Temple of Literature (~£1.20)
- →Stilt house
- →Free walking tour (tip-based)
Halong Bay overnight junk boat
Halong Bay
Get picked up early (7:30-8am) from the Old Quarter by the minibus included in your Halong Bay cruise package (~3.5h drive). Board a traditional junk boat and cruise among the limestone karsts of Bai Tu Long or Lan Ha Bay depending on your operator. Lunch and dinner are included onboard. Afternoon: kayaking through caves (~£8-10 add-on) or a swim stop, plus a walk through a cave system (Thien Canh Son or similar). Sunset on the top deck with a beer. Sleep in a private or twin cabin on board.
🚌Shuttle minibus from Hanoi incl. in cruise package (~£55-75 all-in with meals)
🛏Traditional junk boat cabin (included in ~£55-75 cruise package)
- →Junk boat cruise through Halong Bay
- →Kayaking (~£9)
- →Cave exploration
- →Island walk
- →Sunset on deck
Halong Bay to Hoi An
Hoi An
Breakfast and brunch onboard, then cruise back to Tuan Chau pier and shuttle back to Hanoi (~3.5h, included). From Hanoi Airport fly to Danang (~£30-45, 1h20). From Danang Airport, a Grab or shared airport shuttle to Hoi An is ~£5-8 (~45 mins). Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in the ancient town — Hoi An has some of Vietnam's best-value homestays. Evening: walk the lantern-lit old town (entry ticket to the pedestrian zone ~£3.50, which covers five heritage sites), try cao lau noodles, and watch the river boats.
🚌Flight Hanoi–Danang (~£35) + Grab to Hoi An (~£6)
🛏Hoi An guesthouse/hostel dorm (~£8-12) or private room (~£16-22)
- →Cruise back via Tuan Chau
- →Flight to Danang
- →Hoi An old town by night
- →Cao lau noodles
Hoi An old town & An Bang beach by bicycle
Hoi An
Rent a bicycle from your guesthouse (~£1.50-2 a day). Morning: use your old town ticket to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, a historic trader's house (Tan Ky), a Chinese assembly hall and a French-colonial-era merchant house. Afternoon: cycle the 4km out to An Bang Beach for swimming and seafood lunch (~£5-8). Alternatively book the Marble Mountains/Golden Hand Bridge half-day via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£15-25, cheaper than the tour's £60 add-on if you self-organise a Grab to Ba Na Hills — cable car alone is ~£27). Evening: cooking class (~£15-20) or street food by night on the riverside.
🚌Bicycle hire (~£2); Grab if heading to Ba Na Hills (~£8-10 each way)
🛏Hoi An guesthouse/hostel dorm (~£8-12) or private room (~£16-22)
- →Hoi An old town heritage ticket (~£3.50)
- →Japanese Covered Bridge
- →An Bang Beach
- →Bicycle ride through rice paddies
- →Cooking class optionally (~£17)
Marble Mountains & Hai Van Pass to Hue
Hue
Morning: cycle or Grab 15 minutes to the Marble Mountains (~£2 entry via the lift, £1.20 walking). Optional stop at the Cham Museum in Danang nearby (~£2). Then get to Hue. The fun independent option is the famous Hai Van Pass: a motorbike 'Easy Rider' one-way transfer Hoi An to Hue (~£25-30, 5-6h with stops) is the classic backpacker choice — otherwise take a shared limousine van (~£10-12, 2.5h). Arrive in Hue by evening, check in near the backpacker strip on Vo Thị Sau street, and sample bun bo Hue for dinner.
🚌Easy Rider motorbike transfer (~£27) or shared limousine van (~£11)
🛏Hue hostel or budget hotel (~£8-14 dorm; ~£16-20 private)
- →Marble Mountains (~£2)
- →Cham Museum (~£2)
- →Hai Van Pass scenic route
- →Bun bo Hue dinner
Imperial Hue & north by overnight train
Hue
Rent a bicycle (~£1.50) or Grab to explore. Start at the Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City (~£6 entry), including the Flag Tower and Nine Dynastic Urns. Then cycle or Grab to Thien Mu Pagoda (free) on the Perfume River, followed by Dong Ba market for lunch and a browse. Afternoon: soak up the option of the Khai Dinh tomb (~£4) — a taxi/private driver for a half-day of tombs is ~£15-20. Evening: take the Reunification Express night sleeper from Hue to Saigon (~£30-40 in soft sleeper, ~21 hours) or fly Hue to Saigon (~£25-35, 1h40) and sleep in a hostel instead.
🚌Bicycle/Grab locally; overnight train Hue–Saigon (~£30-40) or flight (~£30)
🛏Night sleeper train (~£35) or Saigon hostel (~£8-12)
- →Imperial Citadel (~£6)
- →Thien Mu Pagoda (free)
- →Dong Ba Market
- →Khai Dinh Royal Tomb (~£4)
- →Overnight Reunification Express
Saigon city tour & Cu Chi Tunnels
Ho Chi Minh City
If you took the train, arrive Saigon late morning and check in near Pham Ngu Lao backpacker street. Independent walking city tour: War Remnants Museum (~£1.50) — highly recommended — then Reunification Palace (~£2.50), Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (both free from outside; renovation permitting), finishing at Ben Thanh Market. Afternoon: book a half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour direct via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£15-22 including entry and transport, versus the £30 add-on) — morning or afternoon departures run daily. Evening: bia hoi and street food on Bui Vien walking street.
🚌Walking locally; Cu Chi tour minibus included in the ~£18 tour
🛏Saigon hostel dorm (~£8-12) or budget hotel (~£16-22)
- →War Remnants Museum (~£1.50)
- →Reunification Palace (~£2.50)
- →Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
- →Ben Thanh Market
- →Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour (~£18)
Saigon markets & departure
Ho Chi Minh City
Last morning: coffee at a local roastery (Vietnam's third-wave coffee scene is excellent, ~£2), shop for lacquerware or coffee beans at Ben Thanh or the more local Tan Dinh market, and take a wander through District 1 or the Jade Emperor Pagoda (free). Grab to Tan Son Nhat Airport (~£4-6, 20-40 mins depending on traffic) for your onward flight. If you have more time, extend with a Mekong Delta day trip (~£18-25) or head to Mui Ne or the Con Dao islands.
🚌Grab to Tan Son Nhat Airport (~£5)
🛏—
- →Specialty coffee
- →Ben Thanh Market shopping
- →Jade Emperor Pagoda
Self-launched vs. Travel Talk
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Talk | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£640 | £950 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £310 per person (33%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Talk-style trips? Check them out here.~£640
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 Incredible Vietnam: Self-Launched Hanoi to Saigon Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £640 per person for 9 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 Travel Talk?+
Yes — Travel Talk charges around £950 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £640 — a saving of roughly £310 (33%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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.