DAY 1 AUSTRALIA – HANOI (D)

Arrive in Hanoi to be welcomed by your guide and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is leisure. Dinner included.

DAY 2 HANOI (B, D)

Your full day tour takes in the highlights of Hanoi history and culture and begins with a visit to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and residence (guided) before heading to One Pillar Pagoda for a brief stop for an ice cream. Then it’s onto the Temple of Literature. Vietnam’s first University before enjoying lunch nearby (own arrangements).
After lunch make your way to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum and learn about the role that Vietnamese women played in the military (second floor) before making your way to Hoa Lo Prison, also known as ‘Hanoi Hilton’ before a walk through the narrow streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, returning to your hotel to get ready for dinner. Enjoy a water puppet show this evening.
Tonight’s dinner is at KOTO (Know One Teach One) at the flagship Hanoi restaurant. KOTO is a social enterprise that provides positive change to the lives of street and disadvantaged youth and giving them access to develop their kitchen skills and building self-confidence. Dinner here is a highlight of your trip!

DAY 3 HANOI (B, D)

After breakfast make the short trip to visit beautiful Dong Ngac village, home to many high ranking Mandarins during the Vietnam War. Your visit begins with a visit and tour of the local market, before arriving at the host family residence for a welcome drink before a bike tour of the village.

Return to the house for your private cooking demonstration, then have a turn at creating your own dishes using your new found cooking skills and enjoy lunch. (please note that large groups may not be able to participate in an actual cooking class).

Return to Hanoi and enjoy some leisure time at your teachers’ discretion before dinner this evening.

Optional: Schools may choose to head to Halong Bay (4 hour drive) on the morning of Day 3 and overnight there, returning in the morning for an afternoon flight to HCMC on Day 4.

DAY 4 HANOI – HO CHI MINH CITY (B, D)

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to the airport for your morning flight to HCMC. Your guide will greet you at the airport and accompany you to your hotel. After check-in, visit the Reunification Palace for a guided tour before your guide accompanies you to the War Remnants Museum- a very moving experience for teachers and students alike.

Return to your hotel to freshen up before dinner. 

Optional: if you chose the Halong Bay visit, your guide will meet you on arrival into HCMC later that afternoon and transfer you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may be able to visit some of the key sights in HCMC subject to time constraints. If not, the remainder of the day will be allocated as leisure.

DAY 5 HCMC (B, D)

After breakfast at your hotel your guide will take you to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible series of underground tunnels built by the Viet Cong during the French and American wars, returning lunchtime.

After finding somewhere for lunch (own expense), enjoy a guided walking tour of the city this afternoon with your guide visiting the famous Post Office, Opera House and Reunification Hall and other landmarks made famous during the Vietnam War.

Enjoy some leisure time later this afternoon at your teachers’ discretion before dinner this evening.

Optional: We highly recommend attending the AO show tonight at the Opera House. It’s a 60 minute show which tells the story of Vietnamese culture through dance and movement. A beautifully choreographed performance, it is a must-see

DAY 6 HCMC - VUNG TAU - HCMC (B, L, D)

After breakfast, your guide will accompany you on your full day trip to Vung Tau. Highlights include the Ba Ria, Long Phuoc Tunnels, Long Tan Cross, the Horseshoe, and the Long Hai Hills. Students will learn about the Battle of Long Tan, the most famous battle fought by the Australian Army during the Vietnam War. Return to your hotel later that afternoon.

Optional: Schools may choose to hold a remembrance service at the Viet Cong memorial en route to Long Tan. 

DAY 7 HCMC (B, D)

After breakfast at your hotel, walk to the famous Ben Thanh Market and participate in the discovery challenge tour. This is a great way for students to discover the many interesting sights and sounds of the market, unlike no other market you have ever seen. Wandering around this market is an incredible experience for students.

There are lots of great cafes nearby where you can enjoy an iced chocolate or iced coffee, a Vietnamese specialty. Allow a half-day for this activity to ensure that students get to experience the market in all its forms, interact with the locals and enjoy some lunch there in the food section after the challenge (own arrangements).

After lunch, enjoy the afternoon at leisure at your teachers’ discretion. Our suggestion is that you visit the Tet Offensive building (we can arrange a transfer) and then onto the HCMC Art Gallery. Your coach will transfer you back to your hotel. Dinner is arranged for you this evening, your last night in Vietnam.

DAY 8 HCMC - SIEM REAP (B, D)

After breakfast transfer to the airport for your morning flight to Siem Reap where your guide will meet you and accompany you to your hotel. After check in, visit the landmine museum and listen to the story of Aki Rawho who disarmed the majority of these landmines alone.

Following your moving encounter with Aki Rawho, visit Banteay Srei with your guide, a 10^th century Cambodian Temple before returning to your hotel in time for dinner.

DAY 9 SIEM REAP (B, D)

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at your hotel and take you to visit the Killing Fields in Wat Thmey. Following this, visit the Angkor National Museum, and learn how artefacts are preserved, collected and resorted in traditional fashion.

This afternoon is possibly the highlight of your trip – A visit to Angkor Wat this afternoon, incredibly spectacular during sunset.

Return to your hotel for dinner this evening.

Optional: You can choose to arrive at Angkor Wat for sunrise, and have breakfast arranged there. 

DAY 10 SIEM REAP - PHNOM PENH (B, D)

After breakfast, head to the airport for the morning flight to Phnom Penh. On arrival your guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. After check in, visit the Bophana Centre and watch a propaganda movie from the Khmer Rouge, followed by a detailed discussion on the new found knowledge gained through your experiences this past week. This afternoon there is time for a visit to Tuol Sieng and the Killing Fields, before returning to your hotel for dinner.

DAY 11 PHNOM PENH (B)

Check out after breakfast and transfer to Phnom Pehn airport for your short flight to Ho Chi Minh City, and connect with your flight back to Australia.

Optional: Some schools have chosen to run this program in reverse – Cambodia, then Vietnam and returning home. We are pleased to discuss both options with you, please discuss your preference with your account manager.