Travelling overland from Singapore to Hanoi

As someone who’s from Hanoi but is currently living in Singapore, I’ve been on the 3.5-hour flight between the 2 cities countless times. Inspired by Southeast Asia’s increasing rail connectivity, visa-free agreements for ASEAN citizens, and a sense of adventure, I opted for a more unconventional way home during my most recent trip.

So in December 2024, my friends and I embarked on an adventure, travelling from Singapore to Hanoi over land in the span of 11 days. The 4 of us visited 5 countries and 12 cities, traversing over 3,500km along the way. Travelling over land and crossing land borders allows you to feel the distance you’re covering. Plus, I’m a firm believer in “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey”.

Planning the land route before the trip

The overland route from Singapore to Hanoi. Screenshot from: Google My Maps

The planning took about a month and most of the routes we took had plentiful research online. We supplemented any missing information with messages to travel agencies, posts in Facebook groups, advice from other friends, and trust that we coul...