Inside Vietnam: Self-Launched Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
14 days · Vietnam
Explore! charges £1,480
No-markup version: ~£805 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 14-day self-launched version of Explore!'s "Inside Vietnam" group tour, running north to south from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. You'll cover Hanoi's Old Quarter and Temple of Literature, Cat Ba Island and a Lan Ha Bay boat trip, an overnight Reunification Express sleeper train to Hue, the Imperial Citadel, Hai Van Pass down to Hoi An, My Son, a Mekong Delta homestay in Ben Tre, and Saigon plus the Cu Chi Tunnels. Same route and experiences, booked independently: hostels and budget guesthouses instead of 3* hotels, public buses, trains and cheap domestic flights instead of private tour transport, and GetYourGuide/Klook or direct bookings for day trips. Costs are backpacker-realistic estimates in GBP per person and will vary with season and how far ahead you book.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi – Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai (HAN) and take the public bus 86 express (about £1.20) or a Grab car (about £9-12) into the Old Quarter. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Hoan Kiem Lake. Ease in with a wander around the lake, a bia hoi corner beer and a bowl of bun cha or pho for dinner. If you need a SIM card, Viettel or Vinaphone data SIMs are about £5-7 at the airport or any convenience store.
🚌Public bus 86 or Grab from Noi Bai airport
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Old Quarter (approx. £8-12)
- →Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and the 36 Streets Old Quarter
- →Bia hoi corner and street food dinner
- →Buy a local data SIM
Hanoi highlights on a self-guided walking loop
Hanoi
Do the classic Hanoi sights on foot in a loop: Temple of Literature (about £1.50 entry), then up to the Presidential Palace, One-Pillar Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple along the West Lake edge. In the afternoon, book a cyclo tour of the Old Quarter through Klook or a local operator (about £6-7) and catch a Water Puppet Show at Thang Long Theatre (about £5) — book a same-day ticket at the box office or online. Walk the famous Train Street section (check current access rules locally, it changes).
🚌Walking
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Old Quarter (approx. £8-12)
- →Temple of Literature
- →Presidential Palace, One-Pillar Pagoda, Quan Thanh Temple
- →Cyclo tour of the Old Quarter (~£7)
- →Water Puppet Show (~£5)
Hanoi to Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba Island
Take the local bus/minivan combo from Hanoi to Cat Ba (booked via your hostel or a local agent, about £8-10, roughly 3.5-4 hours including the ferry). Check into a guesthouse in Cat Ba town and spend the afternoon hiking to Trung Trang Cave or the Cannon Fort viewpoint for sunset over the bay. Eat fresh seafood on the waterfront.
🚌Local bus/minivan + ferry, Hanoi to Cat Ba (~£9)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Cat Ba town (approx. £10-14)
- →Local bus and ferry to Cat Ba
- →Trung Trang Cave hike
- →Cannon Fort sunset viewpoint
Lan Ha Bay day cruise, then overnight train to Hue
Lan Ha Bay / Overnight train
Book a Lan Ha Bay day boat trip through Klook or a Cat Ba operator the day before (about £20-25 including lunch, kayaking and swimming stops). It's the same limestone karst scenery as Halong Bay with far fewer boats. Back in the afternoon, take the bus/ferry combo back to Hanoi and pick up the Reunification Express soft-sleeper to Hue (about £25-35 booked direct on dsvn.vn or at the station; departures are usually evening and arrive mid-morning). Book the soft-sleeper four-berth cabin, which is the same class the tour uses.
🚌Bus/ferry to Hanoi, then overnight train to Hue
🛏Sleeper train, soft-sleeper berth
- →Lan Ha Bay boat trip with kayaking (~£22)
- →Reunification Express soft-sleeper to Hue (~£30)
Arrive Hue – Perfume River and Thien Mu Pagoda
Hue
Arrive in Hue mid-morning, walk or Grab to a guesthouse in the backpacker area west of the Perfume River (Pham Ngu Lao / Vo Thi Sau streets). In the afternoon, take a local dragon boat across the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda (about £2-3 return; negotiate on the riverbank or book through your guesthouse). Dinner on the riverfront with bun bo Hue, the city's signature noodle soup.
🚌Walking and Grab within Hue
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Hue (approx. £8-12)
- →Dragon boat on the Perfume River (~£3)
- →Thien Mu Pagoda
- →Bun bo Hue dinner
Hue Imperial Citadel and Tu Duc / Khai Dinh tombs
Hue
Explore the Imperial Citadel and Imperial Museum on foot (combined ticket about £6). In the afternoon, hire a bicycle or Grab to the Emperor's Tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh (about £2-3 each entry) — this replaces the tour's optional tombs add-on. Book a morning meditation session at Tu Hieu Pagoda direct with the pagoda or a local operator if you want it (roughly £10-50 depending on what's offered — the tour's £50 option is on the high side). Browse Dong Ba Market for street food.
🚌Bicycle hire (~£2) and Grab
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Hue (approx. £8-12)
- →Imperial Citadel and Imperial Museum (~£6)
- →Emperor's Tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh
- →Dong Ba Market street food
- →Optional Tu Hieu Pagoda meditation session
Hue to Hoi An over the Hai Van Pass
Hoi An
The scenic option is the local public bus or a shared minivan booking via 12Go Asia / Klook (about £6-8, 3-4 hours) which crosses the Hai Van Pass with a photo stop. Alternatively, book a motorbike-riding tour (easy rider) for about £30 if you want the full pass experience. On the way, stop at the Cham Sculpture Museum in Da Nang (about £2), My Khe Beach for a swim, and the Marble Mountains (about £2 entry plus £1 lift). Arrive Hoi An and check into a guesthouse in the Old Town or just outside it.
🚌Shared minivan / local bus Hue to Hoi An (~£7)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Hoi An (approx. £8-14)
- →Hai Van Pass crossing
- →Cham Sculpture Museum, Da Nang (~£2)
- →My Khe Beach swim
- →Marble Mountains (~£3)
Hoi An Old Town and a cooking class
Hoi An
Buy the Old Town entry ticket (about £4) for the Japanese Bridge, assembly halls and merchant houses. Book a half-day cooking class through Klook or a local school (about £22-30 including market visit and lunch) — the tour sells it at US$30, so this matches. In the afternoon, hire a bicycle (about £2) to cycle through the rice paddies and vegetable villages, or book a half-day fishing trip (about £35-48). Evening: lantern-lit Old Town riverside and a tailor fitting if you want clothes made.
🚌Bicycle hire (~£2)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Hoi An (approx. £8-14)
- →Hoi An Old Town ticket (~£4)
- →Half-day cooking class (~£25)
- →Countryside bicycle hire
- →Night market and lanterns
My Son Sanctuary day trip
Hoi An
Book a shared My Son Sanctuary tour through GetYourGuide or Klook (about £18-24 including transport and guide, entry about £5). The early-departure tour beats the crowds and heat. Back in Hoi An by early afternoon — grab a banh mi from a local vendor (about £1), do a lantern-making workshop (about £5-8), or head to An Bang Beach for the rest of the day. Boat trips on the Thu Bon River are about £4-6 from the Old Town docks.
🚌Tour minibus and Grab
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Hoi An (approx. £8-14)
- →My Son Sanctuary tour (~£22)
- →Banh mi lunch
- →Lantern-making workshop
- →An Bang Beach
Flight to Saigon, drive to Mekong Delta homestay
Ben Tre, Mekong Delta
Fly Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City on VietJet or Vietnam Airlines (booked direct or via a local agent, about £30-45 one way; morning departure). From Tan Son Nhat, take a local bus or Grab to Mien Tay bus station, then a local bus to Ben Tre (about £3, 2 hours). Or pre-book a shared shuttle direct to Ben Tre via 12Go (about £10). Settle into a homestay in the coconut waterways area (about £10-15 including dinner) and take an afternoon trishaw ride around Tam Hiep Island and a walk through fruit gardens.
🚌Flight (~£38) + local bus (~£5)
🛏Family homestay, Ben Tre (approx. £12 with meals)
- →Domestic flight Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City
- →Local bus to Ben Tre
- →Trishaw tour of Tam Hiep Island
- →Fruit garden visit
Mekong canals by sampan, back to Saigon
Mekong Delta / Ho Chi Minh City
Book a small sampan boat trip through the narrow canals from your homestay the night before (about £5-8 per person, shared). Lunch with the family, then local bus back to Saigon (about £3). Check into a budget hotel or hostel in District 1 near Bui Vien or Pham Ngu Lao. Evening on Bui Vien walking street or a rooftop bar.
🚌Local bus Ben Tre to Saigon (~£3)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, District 1 (approx. £10-15)
- →Sampan canal cruise (~£6)
- →Homestay cooking lunch
- →Bus back to Ho Chi Minh City
Old Saigon walking tour and war history
Ho Chi Minh City
Do a tip-based free walking tour of Old Saigon (about £5 tip, book through Guruwalk or your hostel) covering Notre Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office, the Opera House and the Continental and Majestic hotels. Visit Independence Palace (about £3) and the War Remnants Museum (about £2). Look up the Secret Weapons Bunker in District 3 (about £1) if you're interested in the history. Dinner at a local com tam or banh xeo spot.
🚌Walking and Grab
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, District 1 (approx. £10-15)
- →Free walking tour (tip-based)
- →Independence Palace
- →War Remnants Museum
- →Secret Weapons Bunker
Cu Chi Tunnels day trip
Ho Chi Minh City
Book a Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour via Klook or GetYourGuide (about £18-25 including transport, guide and entry). The Ben Duoc section is less crowded than Ben Dinh. Back in the city by mid-afternoon — browse Ben Thanh Market, hit the art galleries around Dong Khoi, or take a rooftop bar sunset. Many travellers do the tunnels independently on the local bus 13 to Cu Chi town, but the tour is good value once you add up tickets and transfers.
🚌Tour minibus
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, District 1 (approx. £10-15)
- →Cu Chi Tunnels tour (~£22)
- →Ben Thanh Market
- →Rooftop bar sunset
Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Morning coffee (Vietnamese ca phe sua da), a last bowl of pho, then take bus 109 or the Grab to Tan Son Nhat airport (about £1-3) for your flight home. If you have a late flight, the Reunification Palace area and the Fine Arts Museum are good low-key fillers.
🚌Bus 109 or Grab to Tan Son Nhat (~£2)
🛏—
- →Coffee and pho breakfast
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping
- →Transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport
Self-launched vs. Explore!
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Explore! | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£805 | £1,480 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £675 per person (46%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Explore!-style trips? Check them out here.~£805
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 Inside Vietnam: Self-Launched Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £805 per person for 14 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 Explore!?+
Yes — Explore! charges around £1,480 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £805 — a saving of roughly £675 (46%) per person.
How long is the Vietnam trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 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, backpacker 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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