Geography Trip to Vietnam

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

Day 1

Afternoon

Overnight flight to Hanoi

Day 2

Morning

Arrive in Hanoi Meet guide and transfer to hotel

Afternoon

Orientation tour of the city

Evening

Evening meal at local restaurant

Day 3

Morning

Visit the complex where Ho Chi Minh's body lies and see his house and temple Visit the Museum of Ethnology

Afternoon

Visit the Temple of Literature Visit Quan Thanh Temple Enjoy a cyclo (chauffeur-pedalled tricycle) ride through Hanoi's Old Quarter

Evening

Enjoy a water puppet performance Evening meal

Day 4

Morning

Full-day excursion to Hoa Lu - Vietnam's first capital

Afternoon

Enjoy a boat cruise at Trang An with its limestone caves Visit Van Long eco-tourism area

Evening

Evening meal at hotel or local restaurant

Day 5

Morning

Depart through the Red River Delta farmlands towards Ha Long

Afternoon

Board junk for overnight cruise in the bay where you'll see the magnificent limestone scenery

Day 6

Morning

Disembark from junk cruise late morning

Afternoon

En-route to Hanoi visit the local craft villages and see the many rice paddies along the way

Evening

Farewell dinner at local restaurant

Day 7

Morning

Free time in the city

Afternoon

Transfer to airport

Evening

Overnight flight to the UK

Day 8

Morning

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

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

Thien Thai Hotel

This property contains all the amenities and services you would expect from a 3-star hotel. All rooms have a hair dryer, air conditioning, a desk, tea/coffeemaker as well as other amenities. You can also enjoy a meal at the hotel with the choice of the Thien Thai International Restaurant or the Paradise Cafe.

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.

Educational Activities

Boat Cruise Halong Bay

"Ha Long" means "Where the Dragon Descends into the Sea" and the Bay is one of the world’s natural wonders

Halong Bay Grottos and Caves

At the core of the Halong Bay islands, there are wonderful caves and grottoes such as Thien Cung (Heavenly Residence

Hanoi City Tour

Make sure you make the most of your stay in Hanoi by doing a guided tour of the city. This

Cultural Activities

Fine Arts Museum

The Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi occupies a significant position among the six national museums as it traces the origin

Hanoi Handicraft Villages

Visit some of the fascinating handicraft villages around the lush countryside surrounding Hanoi. Bat Trang has been well known since

Temple of Literature

This is a quiet oasis right in the heart of busy and often hectic Hanoi. It is also one of

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is located at Dinh Tien Hoang street, near ancient Hoan Kiem lake, in the centre

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.