Explore one of the jewels of Southeast Asia, on this 8-day intrepid school tour to Vietnam.
Tour vibrant Hanoi, then head to the hills for a 2-day immersive international student volunteer program, where you’ll assist a village with an ongoing community-initiated project. Then, cruise around world-famous Ha Long Bay, swimming and exploring this scenic paradise.
Along the way, you’ll learn about the rich culture, history and traditions of Vietnam and its 54 different ethnic groups. You’ll take in the country’s magnificent landscapes and make memories to last a lifetime!
why you’ll love this trip
- Explore the best of Hanoi, where rich history is blended with bustling markets, French colonial architecture and modern urban life.
- Learn about Vietnam’s diverse ethnic groups, visit the Ho Chi Minh Museum and take a stroll around Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
- Taste mouthwatering North Vietnamese delicacies and world-famous street food.
- Immerse yourself in a mountain village, living with a family and working on community-initiated service programs.
- Cruise along Ha Long Bay, exploring caves and swimming along the way.
Arrive in Vietnam’s bustling capital city and get ready for the trip of a lifetime! Your Infuse Travel Program Leaders will meet you at the airport to warmly welcome you to this exciting Vietnam school tour and give you a brief orientation of what to expect during your trip.
You’ll head to your hotel to check in, freshen up and drop off your bags. Then it’s time to hit the streets! Learn about the country’s 54 ethnic groups at the Museum of Ethnology, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and take a stroll around Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
Overnight: Hotel in HanoiToday our Vietnam school trip leaves the city and heads to the hills. As we travel outside the capital, be sure to look out the window as the landscape is truly breathtaking! Watch the city transform into mountainous cliffs towering above lush rice fields filled with villagers working away.
After a 3-hour drive, arrive at the village inside Ngoc Son-Ngo Luong Nature Reserve and have lunch at the home of a local family. Then hike the remaining 6.5 km to your home for the next few nights.
Overnight: HomestayThe next 2 days are when this international student volunteer program really comes to life. You’ll assist the community with an ongoing community-initiated project designed to support the protection of the area’s natural resources, provide alternative income opportunities or improve the infrastructure of the surrounding villages.
After completing your international student volunteer program work for the day, you will have the opportunity to explore the surrounding rice fields, swim at the nearby waterfall and enjoy the scenery before dinner time. Join your group for a post-service debrief in the evening, discussing what you experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community during your international student volunteer program.
On the final night in the village, end your time with a community celebration showcasing traditional Muong culture through song and dance.
Overnight: HomestaySay goodbye to your host families as we depart for Hanoi to enjoy an evening back in the capital. Along the way, enjoy ice-cold fruit shakes, delicious bowls of noodle soup and other wonderful northern Vietnamese delicacies.
This afternoon on the Vietnam school tour, we’ll take on a culinary adventure and sample some of the most well-known and exotic local delicacies in Hanoi. This includes silkworm, egg coffee, deep-fried crickets, fruits only available in Vietnam and famous noodle dishes that have wowed Anthony Bourdain, Barack Obama and so many more! As you taste your way through Hanoi, enjoy the rambling streets, busy markets and old-world charm of this bustling city.
Overnight: Hotel in HanoiToday, our school trip to Vietnam heads to Ha Long Bay, a hidden gem with its towering limestone pillars and small, forest-topped islets emerging from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, Ha Long Bay's scatter of islands, dotted with wind and wave-eroded grottoes, is a vision of ethereal beauty and, unsurprisingly, northern Vietnam's number one charming destination.
Once there, climb aboard a traditional "Chinese Junk boat” for a cruise among the jagged limestone karsts. Have some fun exploring Sung Sot cave and swimming at Titop Beach, before settling in for a night under the stars.
Overnight: Cruise shipContinue your picturesque boat journey around Ha Long Bay, with opportunities to kayak through Luon Cave and visit Bai Tu Long Bay and Fire Island, where you can spot exotic birds, monkeys, and antelope.
Return to Hanoi in time to enjoy a traditional water puppet show, an ancient Vietnamese art form that dates back a thousand years.
We’ll finish the evening off with a delicious farewell dinner in Hanoi, to celebrate all we have achieved and experienced on this Vietnam school tour.
Overnight: Hotel in HanoiAll adventures must come to an end and today is the last day of your school trip to Vietnam. You’ll spend your last day in Hanoi, reflecting on your experiences and the issues you engaged with throughout your international student volunteer program.
As a final discussion, you’ll participate in an impactful closing ceremony that allows you to capture the memories and learning moments of the Vietnam school tour to process and share with your communities back home.
After some final group photos, it's time to say goodbye as the group heads to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi to head home. We genuinely hope your time spent here, the experiences you’ve shared and the things you’ve reflected on during this international student volunteer program will stay with you for a lifetime.
