Vietnam - 10 Days (Self-Launched: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City)
10 days · Vietnam
Legend Travel Group charges £679
No-markup version: ~£645 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Legend Travel Group's best-selling 10-day Vietnam tour, running south from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. You'll cover the same headline sights — Hanoi's Old Quarter and Ho Chi Minh complex, an overnight Halong Bay cruise, lantern-lit Hoi An, the My Son Sanctuary, the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta at My Tho — but booking everything yourself through hostels, sleeper trains, domestic flights and GetYourGuide/Klook day tours. Comparable comfort (mid-range guesthouses and a proper overnight boat), same experiences, a fraction of the guided-group price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter orientation
Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai International (Terminal 2) and make your own way into the city — the airport bus #86 costs about £1.20 and drops you at Hoan Kiem Lake, or a Grab car is roughly £6-8. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Old Quarter, then spend the afternoon wandering the 36 streets, bia hoi corner and Hoan Kiem Lake at dusk. Book your onward Halong Bay cruise and Hanoi day tour tonight (GetYourGuide/Klook) to lock in the good operators.
🚌Airport bus #86 ~£1.20 or Grab ~£7
🛏Old Quarter hostel or budget hotel (e.g. dorm £6-10, private room £18-25)
- →Airport bus #86 or Grab to Old Quarter
- →Self-guided Old Quarter walk
- →Hoan Kiem Lake at sunset
- →Bia hoi corner street beer
Hanoi city highlights
Hanoi
Do a self-launched Hanoi city day. Walk or grab-bike between Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex and One Pillar Pagoda (both free/cheap entry, mausoleum closed Mon & Fri), the Temple of Literature (£1.50) and the Hoa Lo Prison museum (£1.50). Swap the Ethnology Museum for the Women's Museum if you prefer. Lunch at a local bun cha or pho spot (~£2), and book your overnight Halong Bay trip for tomorrow.
🚌Walking + Grab bikes ~£4
🛏Old Quarter hostel or budget hotel
- →Tran Quoc Pagoda
- →Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & complex
- →One Pillar Pagoda
- →Temple of Literature
- →Hoa Lo Prison museum
- →Vietnam Museum of Ethnology or Women's Museum
Halong Bay overnight cruise
Halong Bay
Get picked up from your Hanoi hotel (most cruises include the ~3.5hr shared shuttle) for a 2D/1N Halong Bay cruise booked direct with a mid-range operator like Phoenix, MILA or Athena (roughly £110-150 for a mid-tier cabin, meals included). Cruise among the limestone karsts, kayak, swim, and visit Sung Sot (Amazing) Cave. Dinner on board as the sun sets; many boats offer night squid fishing and sleeping on the top deck.
🚌Shared shuttle bus from Hanoi included in cruise
🛏Overnight cruise cabin (Phoenix / MILA / Athena-class boat included in cruise price)
- →Halong Bay cruise
- →Kayaking among limestone karsts
- →Swimming in the bay
- →Sung Sot (Amazing) Cave
- →Sunset dinner on board
- →Optional night squid fishing
Halong Bay sunrise — fly to Hoi An via Da Nang
Halong Bay / Hoi An
Wake for sunrise over the karsts and a tai-chi deck session, cruise back past the floating fishing village, then return to Hanoi by mid-afternoon. Fly Hanoi to Da Nang on VietJet/Bamboo (book 2-3 weeks ahead, ~£35-55), then take a shared shuttle or Grab (~£8) the 45 min to Hoi An. Check into a riverside guesthouse and take an evening stroll into the lantern-lit Ancient Town (entry ticket £4.50 covers five heritage sites).
🚌Flight Hanoi–Da Nang ~£45 + shared shuttle to Hoi An ~£8
🛏Hoi An riverside guesthouse or 3* hotel (~£18-28/night)
- →Sunrise cruise & tai chi
- →Floating fishing village visit
- →Flight Hanoi–Da Nang
- →First evening in Hoi An Ancient Town
Hoi An Ancient Town & Thu Bon River
Hoi An
Use your Ancient Town ticket to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Sa Huynh Museum, the 1700s chapel and the pagoda dedicated to sailors and fishermen. In the afternoon, take a public boat or a small-group tour on the Thu Bon River to Kim Bong carpentry village (~£6-10). Evening is for lanterns, tailoring shops and cao lau noodles by the river — entirely at your own pace.
🚌Bicycle rental ~£2 + river boat ~£7
🛏Hoi An riverside guesthouse or 3* hotel
- →Japanese Covered Bridge
- →Sa Huynh Museum
- →Fujian assembly hall & 1700s chapel
- →Thu Bon River boat to Kim Bong village
- →Evening lantern stroll
My Son Sanctuary half-day
My Son Sanctuary / Hoi An
Join a shared minivan tour to the My Son Sanctuary UNESCO site, the Cham civilization's tower complex (~£12-18 with an English-speaking guide and entrance included; cheaper if you Grab there and buy entry yourself for £6). Aim for an early start to beat the heat and crowds. Afternoon free for a cooking class, a tailor fitting or a My An beach afternoon; evening back in Hoi An's markets.
🚌Shared minivan tour ~£15
🛏Hoi An riverside guesthouse or 3* hotel
- →My Son Sanctuary Cham towers
- →Optional Vietnamese cooking class
- →My An Beach afternoon
- →Hoi An night market
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Slow morning in Hoi An, then transfer to Da Nang for a flight south to Ho Chi Minh City (~£40-60 booked ahead). Check into a District 1 hostel/guesthouse. Spend the late afternoon on a self-guided Saigon walk — Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior), the Central Post Office and the War Remnants Museum (£2) if time allows. Dinner at a District 1 banh mi stall or a rooftop for the skyline.
🚌Flight Da Nang–SGN ~£48 + Grab airport transfer ~£5
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel (~£10-22/night)
- →Flight Da Nang–Ho Chi Minh City
- →Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior)
- →Central Post Office
- →Optional War Remnants Museum
- →Ben Thanh market & street food
Cu Chi Tunnels day trip
Cu Chi / Ho Chi Minh City
Book a shared Cu Chi Tunnels half-day or full-day tour via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£12-18 including transport and guide). Crawl through sections of the tunnel complex, see the booby traps and exhibits, and sample the simple cassava and tea 'war-period' snack. Return to Saigon for the Reunification (Independence) Palace (£3) in the afternoon and an evening on Bui Vien walking street.
🚌Shared tour minibus included
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel
- →Cu Chi Tunnels guided day trip
- →Tunnel complex exploration
- →Reunification Palace
- →Bui Vien walking street evening
Mekong Delta — My Tho
My Tho / Mekong Delta
Take a shared Mekong Delta day tour to My Tho (~£15-22) — a boat along the Mekong River to the handcraft islands (coconut candy workshop, bee farm and honey tea), a rowboat through the palm canals, and a stop at Vinh Trang Pagoda. Some travellers instead take the local bus to My Tho (~£2) and hire a boatman at the pier; the organised day trip is simpler for a solo traveller. Back in Saigon by evening for a final dinner.
🚌Shared Mekong Delta day tour minibus & boat ~£18
🛏District 1 hostel or budget hotel
- →Mekong River boat trip
- →Coconut candy & bee farm islands
- →Rowboat through palm canals
- →Vinh Trang Pagoda
- →Final Saigon dinner
Ho Chi Minh City departure
Ho Chi Minh City
Breakfast, last-minute Ben Thanh market shopping for coffee and lacquerware, then make your own way to Tan Son Nhat International Airport by Grab (~£5) or the #109 bus (~£0.50). If your flight is late, store bags at the hostel and squeeze in one more pho before heading out.
🚌Grab to airport ~£5
🛏—
- →Ben Thanh market souvenir shopping
- →Grab or bus to Tan Son Nhat Airport
Self-launched vs. Legend Travel Group
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Legend Travel Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£645 | £679 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £34 per person (5%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Legend Travel Group-style trips? Check them out here.~£645
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 - 10 Days (Self-Launched: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £645 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 Legend Travel Group?+
Yes — Legend Travel Group charges around £679 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £645 — a saving of roughly £34 (5%) 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, 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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