A school trip to Vietnam offers students the opportunity to immerse themselves in a culture that’s very different from their own!
This makes it a wonderful choice for Activities Week, or simply as school trip designed to broaden horizons. Vietnam offers amazing value for money and is certainly one of the more affordable long-haul options for school trips.
There are lots of exciting opportunities for historians, geographers and even food technologists, making it ideal as a cross-curricular school trip. And highlights include an overnight boat cruise along Ha Long Bay, the fascinating Cu Chi Tunnels and, of course, the vibrant markets such as the floating markets of the Mekong.
Suggested Itinerary (9 days, 6 nights)
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!
Visit the War Remnants Museum
Housing exhibits from both the Vietnam War and the First Indochina War against the French, the War Remnants Museum offers another opportunity to better understand the realities of war.
Across several buildings the exhibits are organised into themed rooms. There’s also a yard with period military equipment and vehicles, including helicopters and fighter jets.
There is a focus on the acts of South Vietnam, for example, on display are the tiger cages in which political prisoners were kept, as well as a guillotine used to execute prisoners. And there is a graphic exhibition on the effects of Agent Orange.
Did you know?
When it first opened in 1975, the museum was called the Exhibition House for US and Puppet Crimes. In 1990 the name was changed to the Exhibition House for Crimes of War and Aggression. It changed for the final time in 1995 to the War Remnants Museum, after the normalisation of diplomatic relations with the US and the end of the US embargo.
Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels
Gain a better understanding of the realities of the Vietnam War and the experience of soldiers as you explore the intricate maze of interlinked tunnels.
The tunnels were used by the Viet Cong to hide out during combat. They were also important lines of communication and supply, and they acted as the Viet Cong’s base of operations for the Tet Offensive in 1968.
The tunnels weren’t just designed for fighting – whole communities hid down them sometimes, especially in areas that were bombed regularly. In this way, the tunnels saved many lives.
Did you know?
The tunnels were often boobie trapped, regularly using trip wires and explosives. The trip wires could activate any number of things, from grenades to snakes and scorpions falling on the heads of the unfortunate soldiers who tripped them.
Day 1
Morning
N/A
Afternoon
Flight to Vietnam
Evening
N/A
Day 2
Morning
Arrive in Hanoi
Guided city tour - visit Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple to experience daily life in Hanoi, visit Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (view from outside) and the Temple of Literature
Afternoon
Cycle tour through city's old quarter
Check in to hotel, free time to refresh
Evening
Evening meal at local restaurant
Day 3
Morning
Transfer to Halong Bay
Afternoon
Board a traditional sailing junk for overnight cruise around the bay with a visit to a traditional floating village
Evening
Enjoy a traditional meal aboard
Day 4
Morning
Enjoy your morning onboard with brunch as you cruise back to dock
Afternoon
Transfer to Yen Duc for short visit to a typical Vietnamese village
Transfer to Hanoi Airport
Evening
Flight to Ho Chi Minh City
Day 5
Morning
Visit to Ho Chi Minh City's vibrant central market accompanied by local chef to learn about Vietnamese produce and ingredients
Cookery demonstration of traditional Vietnamese dishes with chef at local restaurant
Afternoon
Visit to War Remnants Museum
Visit to Dong Khoi street to see some great examples of French colonial architecture
Evening
Evening meal at local restaurant
Day 6
Morning
Visit to the Reunification Hall, formerly known as the Presidential Palace
Visit to the FITO Museum to find out about traditional Vietnamese medicine
Visit to Thien Hau temple
Transfer to the Mekong Delta
Afternoon
Check in to resort with time to refresh
Visit a local market with a local chef
Evening
Prepare your own dinner with produce from the market at the hotel
Day 7
Morning
Board private wooden boat to get closer to daily life and agricultural activities on the Mekong River
Visit to Cai Be floating market
Visit to local businesses producing rice paste, rice popcorn and coconut candy
Afternoon
Lunch at a local restaurant
Transfer to Ho Cho Minh City
Check in to hotel, time to refresh
Evening
Evening meal in local restaurant
Optional karaoke evening
Day 8
Morning
Transfer to Cu Chi
Half-day tour of Cu Chi Tunnels
Transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City
Afternoon
Visit to Ben Thanh market
Evening
Dinner in the dark at NOIR restaurant
Transfer to airport for overnight return flight to the UK
Day 9
Morning
N/A
Afternoon
Arrival back in UK
Evening
N/A
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1 night aboard a sailing junk in Ha Long Bay
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6 nights' half-board accommodation
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ATOL protected return flights from the UK
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Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
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Detailed information pack
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Entrance to visits and attractions as per itinerary
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Free itinerary planning service
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Free staff place ratio 1:10
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Internal flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
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Local English-speaking guide during the tour
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VAT at current rate to tour operators
Educational activities and visits
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… Read More
Cu Chi Tunnels
The Cu Chi Tunnels are a maze of interlinked tunnels that were built by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam… Read More
Hanoi City Tour
Make sure you make the most of your stay in Hanoi by doing a guided tour of the city. This… Read More
Ho Chi Minh City Tour
Formally known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam and is considered the economic capital… Read More
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
A visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and his house on stilts is an experience. First of all the… Read More
Reunification Hall
Formerly South Vietnam’s Presidential Palace, this building has been left largely untouched from the day Saigon fell to the North… Read More
War Remnants Museum
Previously known as the Exhibition House of American War Crimes, and currently housed in a series of eight themed rooms… Read More
Cultural activities and visits
Mekong Delta Floating markets
An early morning visit to the Cai Rang floating market will give your students an opportunity to learn about the… Read More
Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine
A unique blend of traditional and modern architecture, the museum includes one ground floor and five upper floors that are… Read More
Temple of Literature
This is a quiet oasis right in the heart of busy and often hectic Hanoi. It is also one of… Read More
Accommodation
The Aristo Saigon Hotel is a great choice for a school trip to Ho Chi Minh City, as it's located just 400m from the War Remnants Museum and is also within a short walk of the Reunification Palace. The hotel comprises a total of 85 elegant and cosy rooms, which offer home comfort and a wide range of amenities. Room facilities include a shower and bath, in-room IDD telephone, free wireless internet access, satellite television, individual in-room air-conditioner and LCD TV.
Supporting you every step of the way
1 Creating Your Perfect Trip
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2 Launching your trip to parents and students
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3 After you've booked
Your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will work with you on the finer details of your trip
4 While you're away
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5 After your trip
Head back to our resources section to continue the learning
Need help?
Zoe Campbell — Learning & Development Manager
Don’t hesitate to contact me for any advice or further information on how your school trip can be tailored to your requirements.
Halsbury were excellent - extremely helpful in offering various options and quotations and very accommodating of last-minute changes requested by the school. Their choice of in-country agents has also been superb.— Wolverhampton Grammar School
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