After all the planning and preparation, the wait is finally over! On arrival in Hanoi you will be met by your World Expeditions Schools local Guide and transferred to your hotel. You will have a full trip and safety briefing and an introduction to Vietnamese language and important phrases that you can learn and practice through your journey. A little language goes a long way with the local people! Explore the city on a traditional cyclo ride before enjoying a delicious welcome dinner as a group.

Meals:  D

Delve into Vietnam's rich history and culture today with visits to the Women’s Museum, Temple of Literature and Ho Chi Minh complex. At these sights, learn about the evolution of women's roles in society through time, the roots of Confucianism and the period of Vietnam's war and unification. For lunch, the group will go to KOTO restaurant, a social enterprise that acts as a hospitality training centre providing disadvantaged youth with the opportunity to learn and thrive in their lives. This is a small but valuable way of contributing to ending the cycle of poverty in Vietnam. Finish the day off with an electric cart ride around Westlake and dinner in Hanoi's iconic Old Quarter.

Meals:  B,L,D

Journey west into the mountainous province of Hoa Binh, home to several ethnic minority groups including Muong, White Thai, Hmong, Tay and Dao people. Visit the community project site before settling into a traditional stilt house homestay in Mai Chau.

Meals:  B,L,D

Over the next three days, contribute to a meaningful community project as part of your regenerative travel program that brings long-term benefits to the local community. Working alongside local villagers, the group will engage in three full days of hand-on tasks such as light construction, school facility improvements and upgrades to village infrastructure. Living within the local community during this time offers rich cultural exchange opportunities. Upon completion of the project, a celebration will be held with the group and community to acknowledge all that has been achieved together in such a short period of time.

Meals:  B,L,D

We enjoy breakfast and say our final farewells to our hosts before we transfer to a small settlement for a Batik dyeing workshop with Hmong women. This hands-on session provides wonderful insight into an ancient tradition and culture. Try your hand at using traditional dying techniques to make a Batik design keepsake. After lunch with our hosts at the guesthouse, embark on an afternoon hike. The trail leads through a stunning valley past fruit orchards, rice paddies and striking mountains. We arrive in Cun Pheo Valley where we meet our vehicle and transfer a short distance to Ban Buoc village for our overnight stay in traditional dorm-style accommodation. Walking Time: Approximately 3 hours

Meals:  B,L,D

After a relaxed morning in Ban Buoc village, the group will transfer to Mai Hich for a cooking session. Prepare rice in bamboo using a local barbeque and enjoy lunch with a local family. In the afternoon, transfer to the town of Ninh Binh located in the Red River Delta.

Meals:  B,L,D

Ninh Binh boasts one of the most spectacular settings in all of South East Asia, with hundreds of limestone karsts rising straight out of rice paddies and rivers. We begin our day at the boat pier where we board traditional sampans for a scenic boat trip to Trang An. We make our way to the valley of Tam Coc for a delicious lunch at a local restaurant before an afternoon visit to Bich Dong Pagoda. From here, we continue by bike, leisurely riding along the flat backroads toward Hoa Lu, weaving between limestone rocks and rice fields. Finish off this fun-filled day with a visit to Dinh and Le temples before transferring back to your hotel. Biking distance: Approximately 12km / 7.5mi

Meals:  B,L,D

Today, the group will spend the morning at a local bear sanctuary, taking part in an educational service-learning program run by an NGO. Learn about how the sanctuary ensures animal welfare, and the history of bear bile farming in Vietnam. Listen to some of the rescue stories and then help prepare some enrichment foods for the bears, learning about conservation in a hands-on way.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning, we drive to Hanoi airport for our flight to Hue. On arrival in Hue, you will be transferred to your hotel for a relaxed afternoon before enjoying a group dinner in town.

Meals:  B,L,D

Hue was Vietnam’s last feudal capital, and today you will get an insider’s point of view of the highlights. Your first stop is a visit to Tu Duc's Tomb, a sprawling compound centred on the lake with numerous memorials. Next up, you’ll visit a local garden house where your host will welcome you with hand-made ginger jam and tea. We then visit a local village to experience daily local life in the peaceful countryside, before enjoying some traditional dishes of Hue. We will then take a leisurely boat ride across the Perfume River and transfer to the Imperial Citadel, the best-preserved remnant of the vast citadel and royal quarters that once existed on the site. Here you can see the ravages of time and war on what was the carefully designed capital of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Meals:  B,L,D

We rise for breakfast before embarking on a scenic drive to Hoi An. We pass Lang Co Bay and stop at the top of Hai Van Pass for amazing views over the surrounds. On arrival in Hoi An, we check into our hotel and head out for a walking orientation tour in the Old Town of Hoi An, visiting the Japanese covered bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall as well as a typical hundred-year-old ancient house and the authentic local market. Hoi An is a wonderful village town to explore with small streets, stunning old colonial architecture and tree lined streets. The afternoon has been set aside for free group exploration.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today the group will meet up with a local youth collective that acts for a more sustainable future. They will introduce the current coastal erosion situation to the group, explaining the challenges, risks and the possible answers to this very real problem. The group will help restore the ecosystem by planting trees in the area and supporting the natural protection against floods. We make our way to a local farm for lunch before heading back into Hoi An for an afternoon set aside for the group to enjoy at their leisure. During the evening, we'll head into the Old Town to witness the nightly lantern procession over the river and enjoy some shopping at the night markets. This is a great time to use some of the local language you have be honing on your journey and to practice your bargaining skills with the local stall owners.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast this morning, you will bid farewell to your World Expeditions Schools Guide at the airport in time for your outbound flight.

Meals:  B