Vietnam with older teens

[Easterchuck]

I thought 8 days touring around and 6 days on the beach. I'd love to have a couple of days on the Mekong.
Could be do it successfully ourselves or would a package be better?

DH & I have back packed in our youth but the DCs are not used to hanging around our fault I know and any wingeing would spoil it for me.

Reasonably healthy budget for the right places.

Any ideas?

Hi Easterchuck

Vietnam will be a great place for a family holiday with older teens.
May be better to have some hotels booked...I always go to SE Asia with my family.
It's certainly much cheaper to book flights and hotels together from here and trips when you get there.
Google Awayholidays...great prices and very competitive...regardless of budget you don't have to pay high street or kuoni prices.
Don't know where you'll be flying from but I always fly with Emirates from Newcastle...I've just been looking at going to nam next Christmas...via Singapore for a bit of shopping.
If it's just a couple of days on the Mekong that you want then book that there...you can still book the hotels for the full stay.
Maybe look at Bangkok, Loas,

Ooops ffs...

Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia...it'll be full on but I'd opt to fit is as much as possible for a great 2 week holiday with Teen dc's

Happy Holidays

Looked at this in September as a possibility for us in July 2015? First port of call was the Trailfinders brochure, then I googled their tour partners and started looking at the individual itineraries and then got thoroughly excited and started to put down firm plans. Then I went on kayak to work out multi city flights and by chance found a £605 pp fare for us to go to San Francisco and booked that instead within 24hrs!
Would seriously explore all the small guiding companies as several seemed hugely reasonable. Have you seen the Sue Perkins Mekong travel programmes that might be on the iPlayer?

Thanks for the replies.
We've been to Thailand a couple of times & loved it. Trailfinders were great and offered us by far the best price. I think I'll get in touch with them.
Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam sound a great combination but we do need some downtime.
How does Angkor Wat, Mekong Delta then a beach sound?
Any suggestions for a beach with great snorkelling?

How about kayaking in halong bay, few days in Hanoi and then overnight train to Sapa for some trekking?ime cheaper to book tours when you are in the country.
Angkor wat is amazing, but beaches in Cambodia not that great ( have friends who have been to cep, but not been myself)
Laos is an amazing country - great food and incredible temples in Luang Prabang. Vientiane is pretty quiet, but temples, national monument are interesting.

Thanks Shanghai they're great suggestions, I'm researching them all.