After all the preparation, the wait is over! Depart for Hanoi. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to the group hotel. Please look for the World Expeditions Schools welcome sign in the arrivals hall. Once checked into your hotel you will have a full trip and safety briefing with your guide. Following this we walk from the hotel to a restaurant specialised in the different ethnic cuisines of North Vietnam. Following dinner your cultural immersion starts in earnest with a walk by the Old Quarter and along the Hoan Kiem Lake. Overnight Hanoi

Meals:  D

In the morning, the group will first visit the Vietnam Women Museum. A very interesting place to learn more about the place of women in Vietnam’s History and the evolution of their roles in the society. The second part of the morning is dedicated to the Temple of Literature. Then lunch is served nearby, at the KOTO restaurant, a social enterprise that train disadvantaged youths. In the afternoon, drive to the mountainous region of Mai Chau. Mai Chau is inhabited by a majority of White Thai people living in hamlets of wooden houses on stilts. Overnight Homestay, Mai Chau

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, the group will transfer to a remote sub-valley located about 10 kilometres further West. They will start there a 15-kilometre cycling tour on narrow pathways across villages and passing by vegetables gardens. This will give an overview of the rural daily life in the region. After the tour, a cooking session is arranged with the women of a village. Students will learn how to cook several iconic dishes including the rice cooked in bamboo. Lunch on spot with the food cooked by the group plus some additional dishes. In the afternoon, the group transfers back to Hanoi. Evening water puppet show and dinner. Overnight Hotel, Hanoi

Meals:  B,L,D

You depart Hanoi for Ha Long Bay in our private air conditioned coach (approximately a 3 hour drive). On arrival, you board our traditional junk for a journey through the 3000 limestone islands dotted with caves and grottoes. After lunch your captain will find a secluded spot. After a safety briefing you will have time to explore the Bay on your kayaks with your Guide. The evening will be spent on board the Junk moored in the emerald waters of the Bay. Dinner and overnight onboard.

Meals:  B,L,D

Early morning Tai Chi session arranged on the sundeck followed by a light breakfast. You will continue your exploration of the Bay and local caves. Brunch is served as the boat cruises back to the pier where you will disembark around mid-morning. Upon arrival early afternoon in Hanoi, the group will visit the Ho Chi Minh complex and navigate through the history of the country reunification and declaration of independence. Afterwards, the group will have a day use in a hotel to refresh and rest a bit before an early dinner. At 1800 head to the train station to hop on the Reunification night train to Hue. The train features 4-berth air-conditioned cabins (exclusive use). Overnight train.

Meals:  B,L,D

Upon arrival in Hue, the group is met and taken for breakfast. The second part of the morning is dedicated to a walking exploration of the walled citadel and the forbidden city to learn about the relatively recent imperial past of the country. Lunch will be served in a garden house in an old village, where Mandarins of the Emperor used to reside. Afternoon, visit the tomb of Tu Duc before hitting the road to the South. Pass by Lang Co bay and stop at the top of the Hai Van Pass. Arrive in Hoi An in the late afternoon. In the evening, the group is divided in teams (1 adult per team) and equipped with a map delimitating the game area. Each team will have a list of local foods to find, order properly and taste in a limited time. The fastest team wins. Overnight Hoi An

Meals:  B,L,D

Today the group will cycle on small roads and across narrow bridges to an island of the Thu Bon River located about 15km from the hotel. Meet with a local youth collective that acts for a more sustainable future. They will introduce the group to the current coastal erosion situation, explain the challenges, the risks and the possible solutions. The group will help restoring the ecosystem by planting trees and supporting the natural protection against floods. Lunch at a local farm on the way back from the tree planting to towns. Afternoon at leisure to rest or shopping in the old town. Sunset and dinner on the beach. Overnight Hoi An.

Meals:  B,L,D

In the mid-morning, the group is transferred to Danang airport to take a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, the group is greeted at the airport and transferred to a restaurant for lunch. The lunch is one of the local specialties: the broken rice. After lunch, walking orientation around the colonial landmarks of the District 1. Then visit of the Ao Dai Exhibition (the traditional and iconic Vietnamese dress through History). Head to hotel, check-in and have some time to rest and refresh. Early evening, dinner at a local restaurant

Meals:  B,L,D

In the morning the group transfers to the Mekong Delta region, in Ben Tre district. Upon arrival they first visit a Cao Dai temple, then hop on a private sampan. The morning is dedicated to cruising the river and stopping at various workshops to learn about the local industries. The group reaches Cu Lao Tam Hiep island for lunch in the gardens of a local guesthouse. In the afternoon, cycling tour across the island and visit of a farm producing the plants used to make the sam jelly. The group can try doing some jelly and taste the result. Mid-afternoon return to Saigon. Evening farewell dinner. Overnight Saigon

Meals:  B,L,D

The exact program of today will depend on the time of the departure flight. If time allows, we can arrange some visits/activities and a lunch.

Meals:  B

Meals:  Nil