Sharing is caring, so here I am sharing with you all my itinerary for the Indochina backpacking that I did. Normally my itineraries include the time but since this trip was as spontaneous as I could get, I didn't pay a lot of attention to the timings. But I'll do my best. I'll also include the rough estimate, in Philippine Peso, of the entrance fees of the attractions if applicable. 


Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam + City Tour

  • Arrival in Ho Chi Mini via Tan Son Naht Airport
  • Early check-in at hostel
  • Sightseeing (via scooter)
    • Notre Dame Square
    • Saigon Central Post Office
    • War Remnants Museum (Php90)
    • Ngoc Hoang Pagoda
    • Museum of Vietnamese History (Php90)
    • Saigon Opera House
    • Saigon City Hall
    • Independence Palace Museum
    • Ben Thanh Market

Day 2: More City Tour 

  • Sightseeing (walking tour)
    • Museum of Fine Arts Saigon (Php90)
    • Bitexco Financial Tower + The World of Heineken (Php560)

Day 3: Arrival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia + City Tour

  • Travel from Vietnam to Cambodia by bus, ETD 8am
  • Arrival in Phnom Penh, ETA 3pm
  • Left luggage at the bus station
  • Sightseeing (walking tour)
    • Wat Phnom (Php52)
    • Riverside Park
    • Wat Ounalom Monastery
    • Royal Palace
    • Wat Botum Park
    • Independence Monument 
    • Night Market
  • Travel to Siem Reap by overnight bus, ETD 11pm

Day 4: Arrival in Siem Reap, Cambodia + Walking Tour

  • Arrival in Siem Reap, ETA 6am
  • Early check-in at hostel
  • Sightseeing (walking tour)
    • Wat Damnak
    • Siem Reap River
    • Wat Preah Promrath
    • Night Market
  • Pub crawl organized by Mad Monkey Hostel
Day 5: Angkor Wat Temples Tour
Day 6: Whole Day Land Travel to Bangkok, Thailand
  • Travel from Cambodia to Thailand by bus, ETA 7am
  • Arrival in Bangkok, ETA 7pm
  • Sightseeing (walking tour)
    • Khao San Road

Day 7: Ayutthaya DIY Tour

  • Day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok via train
  • Sightseeing (via bicycle)
    • Wat Chaiyaphum
    • Wat Ratchaburana 
    • Wat Maha That 
    • Muang Boran Wat
    • Wat Phra Si Sanphet 
    • Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit

Day 8: Walking Tour + Shopping

  • Sightseeing (walking tour)
    • Giant Swing
    • Wat Suthat Thepwararam
    • Shrine of Mae Thorani
    • Wat Pho
    • Saranrom Palace
    • Bangkok City Pillar
  • Shopping
    • Chatuchak Market
  • Sightseeing
    • Grand Palace
    • Khao San Road

Day 9: Departure

  • Sightseeing (walking tour)
    • Wat Bowonniwet Vihara
    • Phra Sumen Fort
  • Take the bus going to the airport
  • Flight back to Manila, Philippines
As for the expenses, you can check below how much I spent on airfare, accommodations, local transportation, food, drinks, and shopping. Prices are in PHP so feel free to convert.

Airfare and Pre-Departure
  • Manila to Ho Chi Minh - P2940
  • Bangkok to Manila - P4287
  • Travel Tax - P1620
Land Transfers
  • Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh via Giant Ibis - P952
  • Phnom Penh to Siem Reap via Giant Ibis - P793
  • Siem Reap to Bangkok via Giant Ibis - P1640
Accommodations
  • Vietnam (2 nights at La Hostel Saigon) - P376
  • Cambodia (2 nights at White Rabbit Hostel) - P390
  • Thailand (3 nights at Nacorn Hostel) - P1250
Tour Expenses
  • Total of entrance fees in Vietnam - Php830
  • Total of entrance fees in Phnom Penh - Php52
  • Angkor Wat Temples Tour via Klook - Php688
  • Angkor Wat Pass - Php1925
  • Total expenses at DIY tour of Ayutthaya - Php318
Food and Drinks
  • Vietnam - Php1650
  • Cambodia - Php3310
  • Thailand - Php1856
Local Transportation
  • Vietnam (Grab) - Php1208
  • Cambodia (Tuktuk) - Php518
  • Thailand (Grab and bus) - Php816
Shopping
  • Vietnam - Php22
  • Cambodia - Php672
  • Thailand - Php1260

GRAND TOTAL: Php29,519

Less than P30,000 or less than US$600for nine days in three countries? Yes, it is possible! Even I was amazed at how efficiently I was able to budget my money while not starving myself on this trip. Food and drinks in all three countries were very cheap. The only reason that I spent a lot in Cambodia for food and drinks was that the amount included alcohol, and I did a lot of drinking and partying in Cambodia.

I guess that is it for this post. If you have any questions about my itinerary or anything regarding my Indochina trip, please feel free to comment and I'll be happy to answer. :)