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St Leonard’s College Big Experience – Vietnam (HANOI-HCMC) – Purple

3 – 20 November 2018 (18-days)

Hanoi, Mai Chau, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Cu Chi Tunnels

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This 18-day educational tour of Vietnam is specifically designed for students of St. Leonard’s College, Melbourne.

Beginning in Hanoi, we will enjoy a thorough exploration of this ancient capital before venturing deep into the county’s ethnic minority provinces for our 3-day service learning project. From here we will continue south to explore Vietnam’s central provinces and to learn of its ancient and turbulent past. Following this we will travel to Ho Chi Minh City to enjoy this dynamic metropolis and then to the Mekong Delta to learn of this intriguing region and the significant environmental and geopolitical challenges it is currently facing.

Highlights of the Vietnam Big Experience will include a journey on the historical Reunification Express train, time spent in the imperial city of Hue and Hoi An, an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an urban exploration Great Race activity as well as abseiling, a hands-on cooking class and a host of other outdoor and cultural pursuits.

As the trip is designed to be of educational value, the itinerary is further intended to provide students with a sound social and cultural understanding of Vietnam, facilitated by a challenging community-service project to assist a local family.

Most importantly, this trip is designed to be highly enjoyable and is intended to foster students’ Asia literacy and awareness as well as provide a very memorable introduction to the one of the friendliest countries in Asia.

ITINERARY

This itinerary is correct at the time of printing. From time to time there may be slight changes due to uncontrollable circumstances. Your group leader will advise you of any changes at the initial group meeting.

GROUP LEADERS & GUIDES

Your group leader is probably the person who most influences the success of your trip. Thus, Student Educational Adventures chooses to employ professionals who have lead student groups throughout all areas of their country and the region for a minimum of five years. Our staff are all highly trained local experts – not foreign tour guides flown in at your students’ expense with no real language skills or insight.

All have been chosen because pf their ability to deal with the needs and demands of young student groups. They all speak excellent English and are happy to share their intimate knowledge of the country with you.

Day 1 Melbourne – Hanoi (Saturday 3rd November 2018) Drive to Melbourne airport and check in for the day flight to Vietnam. Our group leader will greet us at Hanoi International Airport and escort us to your hotel. Following this, we will run through the itinerary and answer any questions. (D)

Day 2 Hanoi (Sunday 4th November) This morning we will take to the streets to explore some of the city’s fascinating sights. No visit to Hanoi would be complete without a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and One Pillar Pagoda, now a pilgrimage site for the locals. Later we will visit Hanoi’s intriguing Old Quarter and wander through narrow lanes packed with a myriad of goods including exotic fruits and foodstuffs, copied designer clothes and electronic items. Tonight, we will enjoy a performance of Hanoi’s famed Water Puppet Troupe to learn something about Vietnam’s folklore and legends. (B, L, D)

Day 3 Hanoi - Mai Chau Village (Monday 5th November) After breakfast we will visit the Australian Embassy and talk to staff about Australia’s relationship with Vietnam and the role that the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs plays in fostering relationships between different countries. We then depart for our morning journey to picturesque Mai Chau, home of the White Thai ethnic minority group near the Laotian border. The White Thai maintain a traditional lifestyle, live in long houses on stilts and carry out unusual religious and ceremonial practices (such as singing and dancing to welcome in the rice harvests). Upon arrival in Mai Chau district we begin our trek through valley floors and rolling hillsides, encountering friendly faces, terraced paddy fields and intriguing irrigation systems. We make our way to our Thai village and accommodation, a traditional long house on stilts.   

Our host family will prepare a delicious evening meal as we listen and learn about the local customs and folklore of the regions inhabitants. Please note: While the village is truly one of the trip highlights, the facilities are quite basic. A thin mattress, pillow and mosquito net will be provided in each long house. Toilets are basic and showers are cold. Good quality walking shoes are necessary. Main packs may be left back in the Hanoi hotel so you will only need to carry a small pack while trekking. A local cook will prepare all meals. (B, L, D)

Day 4 & 5 Mai Chau (Tuesday 6th & Wednesday 7th November) Today we begin a three-day community project.  This will take the form of practical building and some substantial laboring tasks as we construct a house to assist an impoverished family or community in this remote region. Over the coming days we will also learn of the rituals of the local people, gain an understanding of their sense of community and see how the villagers have adapted to their environment. During our time in this region we will be expected to assist with the preparation and cooking of meals for our group and local family. While in the village we will have the opportunity to enjoy a dance performance by some of the local indigenous people from around the surrounding villages. (2B, 2L, 2D)

Day 6 Mai Chau (Thursday 8th November) We put the finishing touches onto the house we have constructed and farewell the local villagers.  This is a time of celebration as we thank the local people for their hospitality.  Following this we will depart our village for a morning hike down to Mai Chau village in the heart of the province’s valley. On arrival there will be ample time to relax and explore the surrounding village as well as a variety of street markets and shops selling local crafts and curios. Tonight, we will sleep in long huts again, facilities in Mai Chau include hot showers.  (B, L, D)

Day 7 Mai Chau / Hanoi (Friday 9th November) This morning we will begin our journey back to Hanoi and check back into our hotel. Following this we will have lunch and then visit the infamous Hanoi Hilton Prison Museum that once held U.S. pilots shot down during the American War in Vietnam. There will also be further time for some exploration of the city’s ancient streets. (B, L, D)

Day 8 Hanoi / Reunification Express Train (Saturday 10th November) We will enjoy lunch at   KOTO   restaurant.  KOTO   is   a   non-profit   organisation established to train disadvantaged teenagers in the hospitality industry. A staff member will talk to us about the charity and the staff’s future prospects after completing the training course.  After dinner we will board the overnight Reunification Express train heading south. We will   pass through   the   former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on our way to the cultural capital city of Vietnam, Hue. Train compartments are 4-berth soft sleepers. Each compartment has fold out beds, pillows, sheets, blankets, air conditioning and lockable doors. The train departs Hanoi in the early evening and arrives in Hue the following morning. Dinner and breakfast on the train are not included but can be purchased cheaply before the train trip in Hanoi. (B, D)

Day 9 & 10 Hue (Sunday 11th & Monday 12th November) Arriving in Hue mid-morning, we will check into our hotel before setting out to explore this sleepy city at a leisurely pace by bicycle taking in Dong Ba market, the moated ruins of the Imperial Citadel and the famous Thien Mu Pagoda. We will visit a rural school to learn about the education system in Vietnam and have time to interact with the students here. On day 10 we venture into the countryside exploring markets and villages far removed from the mainstream attractions. We will visit the intriguing tombs of the Nguyen Emperors to learn of Vietnam's royal heritage in this country that has since adopted a socialist doctrine. We also have the opportunity to see remnants left over from the Vietnam/American War - not used since the 1968 Tet Offensive. Time permitting, we will visit more of Hue’s attractions including the Coliseum and Tu Hieu Pagoda. (B, D)

Day 11, 12 & 13 Hoi An (Tuesday 13th, Wednesday 14th & Thursday 15th November) Today we will begin or bus ride from Hue to the former silk route trading town of Hoi An. En route we will visit Marble Mountain where we will climb to the top to take in views of My Khe Beach, and from where we will enjoy some abseiling training and later practicing our skills around the mountain’s surrounding caves and cliffs.

We will arrive in Hoi An and then wonder out to explore this picturesque town with its plethora of tailor shops, delicious food and friendly people. This town was declared a World Heritage Site in 1998 and serves as a model town for students interested in the development of sustainable tourism.

During our time in Hoi An will bike to the beach to enjoy a refreshing swim and a game of beach football. We will also enjoy cycling through the hinterland around the town stopping en route at rural villages and traversing buffalo fields.

On our second (or third) day in Hoi An we will enjoy a hands-on cooking class hosted by one of the town’s talented chefs to learn the secrets to cooking some of Vietnam’s essential dishes. We will also learn more about Hoi An’s rich history and architecture and of its heyday as an important trading port during the 15th & 16th centuries during the advent of maritime trading. (3B, 1L, 1D)

Day 14 Hoi An / Ho Chi Minh City (Friday 16th November) There will be a final time this morning to enjoy Hoi An before we transfer to Danang from where we will catch our flight to Vietnamese premier city, Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh City is a truly dynamic Southeast Asian metropolis – the powerhouse of the south and a place of fascinating contrasts. After arrival we will enjoy a thorough orientation walk around ‘Saigon’ as the central district is referred to as these days. This afternoon we will also visit a bustling local ‘wet’ market before we set out to enjoy our first taste of southern Vietnamese cuisine, markedly different from that found elsewhere in Vietnam. (B, L, D)

Day 15 Mekong Delta (Saturday 17th November) We will travel south to the waterways of the Mekong Delta from where we will board our private boat to cruise through tributaries. In the afternoon we will enjoy a bike ride through some local villages to get a feeling of the lifestyles of the local people and later make our way to a small island nestled in the heart of the Delta, the site of our local family home stay.

Waste management is a major problem in Vietnam and the Mekong Delta Region. Wastes such as plastics, chemicals and human waste are commonly disposed of into the surrounding environment and rivers. Other methods of waste disposal include burying or burning materials. In spite of this, many residents of the Delta provinces practice sustainable methods of living including recycling of manufacturing materials and the use of sustainable fuel which we will learn of today.

This evening we will experience true southern hospitality as our host family prepares a delicious Delta meal (which we will be required to help prepare!) and talks to us about life in the Delta. N.B. The home-stay is a ‘basic but comfortable style home overlooking the Mekong River with separate sleeping areas for male & female students. Each room is equipped with an army-style stretcher, pillows, blankets, mosquito nets, ceiling fans, electric lights, mosquito coils and western style toilets. Main luggage will be left in our Ho Chi Minh City hotel storage room while on this overnight excursion. (B, L, D)

Day 16 Cu Chi Tunnels / Ho Chi Minh City (Sunday 18th November) This morning we take another boat trip through meandering waterways calling in on floating markets and fruit orchards as well as learn of various cottage industries as sustainable methods of production that have ensured these industries success and survival over several centuries. Confectionary manufacturing, incense production and pottery making. We will visit a fish sauce factory where we will learn the process of making Vietnam’s most famous condiment.

En route back to Ho Chi Minh City we will visit the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, once home to the communist guerillas in their struggle against the French and Americans. Nestled amongst huge bomb craters we will have the opportunity to climb down into the tunnels to gain an understanding of the harsh conditions the inhabitants of the tunnels had to endure.

Late afternoon we will make our return journey to Ho Chi Minh City and check back into our hotel before our final dinner followed by a visit to the night market area. (B, L, D)

Day 17 Depart Ho Chi Minh City (Monday 19th November) Today we will take part in ‘The Great Race’ designed to facilitate urban exploration to enhance students’ knowledge of this historic city as well as our appreciation of Southeast Asian culture. We will complete tasks, navigate and collect information and complete activities that will be challenging, fun and educational. We will take time to visit some of the city’s other important sites including its historic Post Office, a beautiful French built church as well as the War Remnants Museum to learn of the American War in Vietnam from a local perspective. (B, D) NB: As the great race requires a significant amount of time complete, race activities will take place in the morning and the afternoon. Students not racing will visit the attractions described above in the morning and compete in the Great Race in the afternoon and visa-versa.

There will be a final time this afternoon to pick up souvenirs for family and friends before we make our way to the airport in the late afternoon for our flight back to Australia. Our tour leader will take care of all our onward travel arrangements, escort us to Ho Chi Minh City airport and wave us farewell. (Please hotel checkout time in 12noon). (B)

Day 18 Arrive Australia (Tuesday 20th November 2018) Arrive Melbourne on flight VN781 at 9.25am. Bus back to South Road gates.

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SUMMARY

Grading: Challenging Students will be required to be in good health to get the most of this trip whilst any one of reasonable fitness will be able to take part. There are no real physical difficulties however students will be expected to walk every day, particularly during the community project component of the trip. You will also be expected to work diligently during the days of the community service project. You will also be expected to be able to ride a bike. It will be necessary for you to carry your own luggage throughout the trip but only for short distances. Accommodation: Student accommodation is on a twin/triple share basis. Teacher accommodation is on a single room basis. Transport: Modern air-conditioned bus, boat, plane, cyclo/ bicycle, train. Group size: Minimum group size 24 students + 3 staff (No Maximum group size) Key: (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)

Tour Inclusions:

· International economy airfares with Vietnam Airlines

· All accommodation and transport including 1 internal flight en route (Ho Chi Minh City - Danang)

· All sightseeing, entrance fees for museums, attractions and sights as described in itinerary

· Student Educational Advenutres Group Leader throughout the tour & additional specialist guides as required

· All breakfasts, 10 lunches, 13 dinners and water with all included meals

· Vietnam Visa

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Tour Exclusions:

· 7 lunches & 4 dinners

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