A geography school trip to Vietnam will give your students the opportunity to explore some incredible landscape features, including the iconic towering limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay!
Hanoi, the laidback city with stunning French colonial architecture, accompanied by lakes, shaded boulevards and public parks, is the spirit of historic Vietnam, along with its many temples and monuments. The narrow streets of the Old Quarter hold an insight into the ancient culture, while the rest of the city changes at a rapid rate.
Vietnam’s global position in economic terms is helped by the plans put in place to increase agricultural production, as well as industrial output. Ha Long Bay has two well-defined ecosystems and spectacular scenery formed over millions of years of geological activity. The trip can be combined with a stay in Ho Chi Minh City and a visit to the Mekong Delta.
And why not give more students the opportunity to visit Vietnam by teaming up with the history department to make this a cross-curricular school trip?
Suggested Itinerary (7 days, 5 nights)
| Day | Morning Summary | Afternoon Summary | Evening Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Overnight flight to Hanoi |
||
| 2 |
Arrive in Hanoi Meet guide and transfer to hotel |
Orientation tour of the city |
Evening meal at local restaurant |
| 3 |
Visit the complex where Ho Chi Minh's body lies and see his house and temple Visit the Museum of Ethnology |
Visit the Temple of Literature Visit Quan Thanh Temple Enjoy a cyclo (chauffeur-pedalled tricycle) ride through Hanoi's Old Quarter |
Enjoy a water puppet performance Evening meal |
| 4 |
Full-day excursion to Hoa Lu - Vietnam's first capital |
Enjoy a boat cruise at Trang An with its limestone caves Visit Van Long eco-tourism area |
Evening meal at hotel or local restaurant |
| 5 |
Depart through the Red River Delta farmlands towards Ha Long |
Board junk for overnight cruise in the bay where you'll see the magnificent limestone scenery |
|
| 6 |
Disembark from junk cruise late morning |
En-route to Hanoi visit the local craft villages and see the many rice paddies along the way |
Farewell dinner at local restaurant |
| 7 |
Free time in the city |
Transfer to airport |
Overnight flight to the UK |
| 8 |
Arrive back in the UK |
||
- 5 nights' full-board accommodation
- Airport taxes and passenger duty at current rates
- Airport transfers in resort
- ATOL protected return flights from the UK
- Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
- Detailed information pack
- Entrance to visits and attractions as per itinerary
- Free staff place ratio 1:10
- Guide and transport throughout
- Itinerary planning service
- Vamoos travel app - giving you access to all your trip documents on your phone or tablet
- VAT at current rates to tour operators
Curriculum Links
A-Level
- Coastal landscape formations
- Weathering, erosion and deposition
- Geology - limestone karsts, caves, lake systems
- Characteristics of a distinct ecosystem
- Biodiversity: flora and fauna adaptations
- The water cycle
- Case study of a river catchment
- World trade and access to markets (TNCs)
- Population and the environment - food production and security
- Water insecurity
- Impact of superpowers on the global economy
GCSE
- Physical processes affecting land formations
- Erosion, transportation and deposition
- Characteristics of an ecosystem
- Biodiversity: flora and fauna adaptations
- Water and carbon cycles
- Food and water security
- Resource management
Key Stage 3
- Geological timescales and plate tectonics
- Rocks, weathering and soils
- Hydrology and coasts
Accommodation
Tour Highlights
Take a Boat Cruise in Ha Long Bay
The best way to see Ha Long Bay is by boat! You’ll see impressive limestone karsts, as well as grottoes, caves and islands!
Local legend has it that the bay was created when the gods sent dragons to protect the Vietnamese from invaders. The dragons dropped jewels into the bay and this created the islands, which formed a protective barrier against the enemy ships. The dragons remain resting in the waters today and the bay’s name actually means ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’.
A cruise around this spectacular bay is a must-do on a geography school trip to Vietnam and really is an experience that your students will never forget.
Did you know?
Ha Long Bay is home to around 1600 limestone islands and islets – and some of them are over 20 million years old!
Take a Tour of Hanoi City
Explore Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi, which is over 1,000 years old! Walking through the streets of the Old Quarter and the French Quarter, you’ll learn more about the fascinating history of Vietnam.
The city was the capital of French Indochina from 1883 until 1945, and the impact of French colonisation is still clear today, from the architecture to the food, which has led to it being dubbed the ‘Paris of the East’.
Hanoi was, of course, the seat of power when North Vietnam declared itself independent in 1954. And when North and South Vietnam were reunited in 1976, it once again became the national capital.
Did you know?
Hanoi means ‘city inside rivers’ and Hanoi is built on the lowland between two rivers. Many lakes can be found within the city limits, and these offer the locals tranquillity and a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of this busy city.
Visit the Fine Arts Museum
The Fine Arts Museum explores the history of artistic culture in Vietnam and will help your students better understand the country’s history and culture.
The Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum opened its doors to the public in 1966, and boasts an exhibition space of around 3,000m².
There are around 20,000 objects in the museum’s collection, of which around 2,000 are displayed in the permanent galleries. The collection is incredibly diverse and represents the history of Vietnamese fine art from prehistoric times to the present day.
Did you know?
Constructed during the French colonial period, the museum building was originally a boarding school for the daughters of French officials.
