28 daysVietnamAges 18–40
28 days · Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang & Hanoi
The Southeast Asia Grand Loop is a 28-day group trip for solo travellers aged 18 to 40 across three countries. You start with the temples of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, fly to Luang Prabang (there is no two-day slow boat from Huay Xai on this trip) and cross Laos by train to Vientiane, then fly on to Hanoi for a night on Lan Ha Bay, Ninh Binh, Phong Nha, Hue, Hoi An and the Mekong Delta, finishing in Ho Chi Minh City. Your Trip Host is with the group the whole way.
Updated
From, per person
$3,160 / £2,360 / €2,770 / A$4,490 / CA$4,470 / NZ$5,570 / ₹3,03,000
Free to reserve
Sarthak's best travel memories come from going solo: hostel dorms, a new activity most days, new cultures and new food. SoloNomads grew out of that.
Sarthak travels with every group, from the first day to the last, so there's always someone on hand to sort things out when plans change and to make sure nobody gets left out.
In every country, a licensed local agency and licensed local guides look after the ground services, so you get local know-how too.
Chiang Rai to Ho Chi Minh City, 14 stops in 28 days.
14 stops
28 days
Day 1
Arrive whenever your flight lands; flights from Bangkok take about 80 minutes. The Trip Host meets everyone at the guesthouse in the late afternoon for a get-to-know-you and a run-through of the four weeks ahead. Then we walk to the night bazaar for a welcome dinner.
Day 2
A morning at two of Chiang Rai's strangest buildings: Wat Rong Suea Ten, the Blue Temple, a hall of deep blue and gold with a white Buddha inside, and Baan Dam, the Black House, a garden of dark teak houses full of horns, bones and carvings. We're back by lunch, and the afternoon is free.
Day 3
Our van leaves early so we're at Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, when it opens at 8am, before the tour buses: white plaster and mirror glass, a bridge over a pit of reaching hands, and some very odd murals inside. Then it's about 3 to 4 hours down the road to Chiang Mai, where we arrive in the afternoon with the evening free.
Day 4
A half day at an elephant sanctuary in the hills outside town. You walk through the forest and watch a small herd feed and wander, from a distance. We choose a place where there's no riding and no shows, and you don't bathe with the elephants. Lunch is at the sanctuary. In the late afternoon we ride a red songthaew up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep for the gold chedi and the sunset view.
Day 5
Nothing is planned until the evening. Walk the old city temples, get a Thai massage, or find a cafe. In the evening we head to an organic farm outside the city for a cooking class: you pick herbs from the garden, pound your own curry paste and cook four or five dishes for dinner.
Day 6
A free morning for packing and a last Chiang Mai breakfast. In the afternoon we take the direct flight to Luang Prabang, about an hour in the air and included in the trip. You get your Lao visa at the airport or show your eVisa. By early evening we're in town for a first walk through the night market on Sisavangvong Road.
Day 7
About 45 minutes out of town, Kuang Si drops in tiers of turquoise pools through the forest, with time to swim where it's allowed and to visit the bear rescue centre near the entrance. We're back for lunch, and in the late afternoon we climb Mount Phousi in the middle of town to watch the sun go down over the Mekong.
Day 8
Early risers can watch the monks collect alms at dawn, We watch quietly from across the street, at least five metres back, with no flash. After breakfast we board a wooden long boat for about two hours up the Mekong to the Pak Ou caves, packed with old Buddha images in a cliff above the river. Lunch is on the boat, and the evening is free.
Day 9
A free morning in the old town: the Royal Palace Museum, the sweeping roofs of Wat Xieng Thong, or the UXO visitor centre on the bombs still in the ground from the Indochina wars. After lunch we take the Laos-China Railway south, arriving in Vang Vieng in about an hour, in time for sunset over the cliffs.
Day 10
A full day outdoors with a local operator: kayaking down the Nam Song river past the cliffs, floating into a water cave on a tube with a head torch, and swimming at the Blue Lagoon. Lunch is included. How much of the river we paddle depends on the water level, and we follow the operator's call.
Day 11
A free morning: climb to a viewpoint above town, or sit by the river with a coffee. After lunch the train takes about an hour to Vientiane. In the afternoon we visit Patuxai, the city's victory gate, and climb it for the view over the capital.
Day 12
A morning in the capital: the COPE visitor centre, which explains Laos's unexploded ordnance problem, and Pha That Luang, the country's most sacred stupa. In the afternoon we fly direct to Hanoi, about an hour in the air, and land in time for a simple dinner near the hotel on your own.
Day 13
A full day in Hanoi. The morning covers Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature and the Old Quarter's 36 streets, each once home to a single trade. In the evening a local guide leads a street food walk: noodle soups, grilled skewers, fresh spring rolls and a stop for a cold beer on a plastic stool. That's dinner.
Day 14
We drive out to the coast, about 3 to 4 hours by road and ferry, and board an overnight cruise boat for a night among the limestone karsts of Lan Ha Bay, off Cat Ba island. The afternoon is spent kayaking between the cliffs and swimming off the boat, with a cave stop where the tide allows. Lunch and dinner are on board, and you sleep in a cabin on the water.
Day 15
An early swim or a tai chi session on deck, then breakfast as the boat cruises back to harbour. The journey to Ninh Binh takes about 4 to 6 hours by road and ferry, so we arrive in the late afternoon or early evening, with the evening free.
Day 16
A morning cycling the flat roads around Tam Coc, through rice paddies and past limestone peaks, with a stop to climb the steps at Hang Mua for the view over the valley. Lunch is at a local farmhouse. In the afternoon we take a rowing boat through the Trang An caves.
Day 17
A scenic drive south, about 6 to 7 hours with a lunch stop, to Phong Nha, a small town on the river beside a national park riddled with some of the world's largest caves. The evening is free to walk along the river.
Day 18
A full day exploring Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park: a walk through the vast chambers of Paradise Cave, and a boat ride into Phong Nha Cave itself along an underground river. Lunch is included, and the standard visit needs no technical caving experience.
Day 19
A drive of about 3.5 to 4.5 hours to Hue, Vietnam's old imperial capital on the Perfume River. The afternoon is free to walk the citadel walls or browse the Dong Ba market.
Day 20
A morning boat along the Perfume River to visit two of the royal tombs, Khai Dinh and Minh Mang, with lunch on the way back. In the afternoon we drive over Hai Van Pass, with a photo stop at the top, and on to Hoi An by early evening.
Day 21
A walking tour of the old town's merchant houses, the Japanese covered bridge and the central market, timed to end as the lanterns come on at dusk. We release a paper lantern on the river together for a welcome dinner nearby.
Day 22
Nothing planned. Get a suit or dress made by one of the tailors, cycle out to An Bang beach, or book a basket-boat ride through the coconut village on your own.
Day 23
A short flight from Da Nang gets us into Ho Chi Minh City by early afternoon. After checking in, the rest of the day is free to explore District 1 or grab a coffee on a rooftop.
Day 24
A guided morning at the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace, followed by lunch near Ben Thanh Market. The afternoon is free for the market, a rooftop bar or the Jade Emperor Pagoda.
Day 25
We drive about 3 to 3.5 hours to Can Tho, the delta's biggest city, and check into a homestay near the water. In the afternoon a small boat takes us through narrow canals, with a stop at a workshop making coconut candy. Dinner is with the homestay family.
Day 26
An early start to reach the Cai Rang floating market by boat while it's busiest, watching traders sell fruit and vegetables from boat to boat. There are fewer boats than in older photos, but it's still worth the early start. We're back in Ho Chi Minh City by mid-afternoon, with the evening free.
Day 27
A free day to finish any shopping or sightseeing you've missed, including an optional half day at the Cu Chi Tunnels, which isn't included (entry is about 90,000 to 125,000 dong), and the Trip Host can help you arrange it. In the evening the whole group meets for a farewell dinner near the Saigon River.
Day 28
The trip ends after breakfast. Tan Son Nhat airport (SGN) is about 20 to 30 minutes from District 1 outside rush hour, so any flight from late morning onwards works.
Prices are per person, and reserving is free. A date goes ahead once about 10 travellers have joined. You pay nothing until then. Once it's confirmed, we send you an invoice for the full price, and you have 7 days to pay it (or until the trip starts, if that's sooner).
8 Dec – 4 Jan 2027
AvailableDry in Thailand and Laos; Phong Nha, Hue and Hoi An fall in late December, when central Vietnam can still be wetMax 16 people
Price
$3,160 / £2,360 / €2,770 / A$4,490 / CA$4,470 / NZ$5,570 / ₹3,03,000
10 Jan – 6 Feb 2027
AvailableDry in Thailand and Laos. The last two days fall on Tet eve (5 Feb) and Tet day 1 (6 Feb 2027), so many small Vietnamese restaurants and shops are closed and transport is booked outMax 16 people
Price
$3,160 / £2,360 / €2,770 / A$4,490 / CA$4,470 / NZ$5,570 / ₹3,03,000
5 Feb – 4 Mar 2027
AvailableStarts on Tet eve (5 Feb 2027), so Day 2 is Chinese New Year in Chiang Rai. The Vietnam leg begins after the Tet holiday. Smoke haze can start to build in Thailand and Laos from about FebruaryMax 16 people
Price
$3,160 / £2,360 / €2,770 / A$4,490 / CA$4,470 / NZ$5,570 / ₹3,03,000
You reserve your spot for free and pay nothing to join. Once enough travellers have signed on, usually around 10, we confirm the departure and email you a confirmation with an invoice for the full trip price. You pay by card or bank transfer within 7 days, in US dollars, pounds, euros, Australian dollars, Canadian dollars, New Zealand dollars or Indian rupees, and the price shown for each date is what you pay. Reservations close 7 days before the start date.
Solo travellers aged 18 to 40. Most people come on their own, and some come with a friend. The maximum for each departure is shown with its dates, and it's never more than 16. The trip is sold as one 28-day booking, so if you want a single country or a shorter combination, see our Northern Thailand & Laos and Thailand & Vietnam trips.
The Trip Host travels with the group for all 28 days, sorts out every transfer, ticket and check-in, and is the person you go to if anything goes wrong. A licensed local agency and licensed local guides deliver the ground services in each country. On activities that need one, a licensed local guide leads the visit. Nothing on the itinerary is compulsory, so just tell the Trip Host if you'd rather skip something.
The classic slow boat starts at Huay Xai, in Bokeo province, right on the Thai border. As of September 2026, Canada's government advises against non-essential travel within 10 km of the Thai border in Bokeo, and Germany's Foreign Office advises avoiding Bokeo and Sainyabuli provinces. Travel insurance can stop covering you in places your government advises against, so we fly Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang instead and spend a day on the Mekong by long boat from there. We check this advice before every season.
It starts at our guesthouse in Chiang Rai in the late afternoon of Day 1, and we send the address when you book. Fly into Chiang Rai (CEI). It ends in Ho Chi Minh City after breakfast on Day 28, so book a flight out of Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) any time from late morning.
November to February suits Thailand and Laos best: dry and clear. Northern Vietnam is cool and often grey then, and central Vietnam (Phong Nha, Hue, Hoi An) has its rainy and flood season from about mid-September to December, so a December departure can meet heavy rain there. Smoke from farm burning affects northern Thailand and Laos from about February to April, worst in March, and Laos is rainy from May to October. Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (6 February in 2027), closes many small restaurants, shops and homestays for several days and sells out trains and flights as people travel home. If a departure's Vietnam days overlap Tet, its note says so.
For Thailand, many nationalities can enter visa-free for up to 30 days since 15 September 2026, and everyone fills in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within the 3 days before arrival. For Laos, most passports need a visa: a visa on arrival at Luang Prabang airport, or an eVisa bought in advance from the official site, laoevisa.gov.la. For Vietnam, some European passports get up to 45 days visa-free, but most other nationalities need an e-visa from evisa.gov.vn (US$25 single entry, US$50 multiple entry), applied for before you travel. Rules and durations change, so read our Thailand, Laos and Vietnam visa guides before you book flights.
Social hostels and guesthouses picked for location and cleanliness, plus one night in a cabin on the Lan Ha Bay boat and one night at a Mekong Delta homestay. You share a twin or small dorm room with travellers of the same gender. The homestay is simple, with twin or shared rooms and a home-cooked dinner with the host family, and it's a step down in comfort from the hostels. We confirm the place before departure.
A soft bag or backpack rather than a suitcase. Bring clothes that cover shoulders and knees for temples, a light fleece for cool mornings in northern Thailand, Laos and Hanoi, swimwear for Lan Ha Bay, sandals or water shoes for the kayak day and the caves, a head torch, and a padlock for dorm lockers. For the Lao visa on arrival, bring clean, new US dollar notes and a couple of passport photos. You need to be averagely fit: there's a day of cycling in Ninh Binh, some kayaking and swimming, cave walking in Phong Nha, steps up to Doi Suthep and Mount Phousi, and a lot of walking in hot, humid weather.
Yes to insurance: it's a condition of joining. It must cover medical treatment and evacuation, because serious cases in Laos are usually moved to hospitals in Thailand. Check that it covers kayaking, tubing and caving, and that your own government has no advice against the places on this itinerary. For vaccinations, see a travel clinic at least eight weeks before you go. The UK's TravelHealthPro and the US CDC both publish up-to-date advice for Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
It has real risks, and it's worth knowing them before you go. Foreign travellers have died after drinking alcohol in Laos. Six died in Vang Vieng in November 2024, and a lab found excessive methanol in a vodka sample, but Laos authorities said in July 2026 that they couldn't establish the cause. Buy drinks sealed and never accept free shots. Any drugs, including cannabis, can mean a long prison sentence in Laos. Hot-air balloon flights aren't part of this trip, and a balloon hit power lines in March 2026, so ask any operator about its safety record if you book one yourself. On our kayak day we use a local operator and follow its call on the water level.
Ask here and someone on the team will email you back within 1 to 2 business days.
From
$3,160 / £2,360 / €2,770 / A$4,490 / CA$4,470 / NZ$5,570 / ₹3,03,000