Vietnam War School Trip to Ho Chi Minh

A history school trip to Vietnam offers your students the chance to experience first-hand the difficult conditions faced by soldiers at war!

One of our most popular visits is the Cu Chi Tunnels, which were built by the Viet Cong and show just how resourceful they were when faced with the possibility of attack from forces possessing vastly superior firepower and numbers.

Your students will also learn how history is interpreted differently by those on opposing sides, by seeing how the Vietnam War is portrayed within Vietnam itself, with a visit to the War Remnants Museum, which was originally known as the Exhibition House for US and Puppet Crimes.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Afternoon

Flight to Ho Chi Minh City

Day 2

Morning

Arrive in Ho Chi Minh Transfer to hotel

Afternoon

Free time to freshen up

Evening

Evening meal at a local restaurant

Day 3

Morning

Visit the History Museum, Reunification Hall, Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral and more

Afternoon

Visit the War Remnants Museum and Ben Thanh Market

Evening

Evening meal at a local restaurant

Day 4

Morning

Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels

Afternoon

Return to Ho Chi Minh and visit the Revolutionary Museum and Emperor Jade Pagoda

Evening

Evening meal at a local restaurant

Day 5

Morning

Visit the Fine Art and FITO Museum (Traditional Medicine), Thien Hau Temple and Binh Tay Market

Afternoon

Free time to explore

Evening

Water puppet show and evening meal

Day 6

Morning

Travel to the Can Tho via the Rice Fields and fruit farms, take a motorboat ride in the Delta

Afternoon

Horse and cart ride on the country roads Visit a local farm

Evening

Evening meal and overnight in Can Tho

Day 7

Morning

Visit a floating market, Cai Rang Bike tour of Can Tho countryside

Afternoon

Return to Ho Chi Minh

Evening

Farewell meal at a local restaurant

Day 8

Morning

Day free to explore/shop in Ho Chi Minh until departure

Afternoon

Transfer to the airport

Evening

Overnight flight to the UK

Day 9

Morning

Arrive in the UK

6 nights' half-board accommodation
Airport transfers in resort
All flights including tax
Detailed information pack
English-speaking guide
Free staff place ratio 1:10
Itinerary planning service
Tour programme as listed
VAT

Curriculum

A Level

First Indochina War
The Cold War: confrontation in Vietnam
The Viet Cong and guerrilla warfare
US involvement in the war
Paris peace settlement

GCSE

Dien Bien Phu and its consequences
The Viet Cong and guerrilla warfare
The Cold War: confrontation in Vietnam
US involvement in the war
Vietnamisation
Changing interpretations of the Vietnam War

Accommodation

Saigon Can Tho

This 3-star property offers attentive hospitality and personalized service. Each of the comfy rooms offer a good selection of amenities including air conditioning, Internet access (ADSL & WiFi), IDD Telephone, Tea/coffee facilities and a hair dryer.

Aristo Saigon Hotel

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.

Tour highlights

Visit the Reunification Palace

Formerly the South Vietnamese presidential palace, the Reunification Palace has been left much as it was when the war ended here with a tank crashing through its gates! The current building was built to replace the former Governor’s Palace, after the left-wing of that building was almost entirely destroyed by an assassination attempt on Ngô Ðình Di?m, President of the Republic of Vietnam. The palace was renamed the Reunification Hall by the Provisional Revolutionary Government in 1975.

Did you know?

The Reunification Palace features on the 200-dô’ng note.

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.

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.

Educational Activities

Cu Chi Tunnels

The Cu Chi Tunnels are a maze of interlinked tunnels that were built by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City Museum

Originally built in 1890 by the French as a commercial museum, it was turned intoa Governor's Palace thencommittee building, and

Reunification Hall

Formerly South Vietnam’s Presidential Palace, this building has been left largely untouched from the day Saigon fell to the North.

War Remnants Museum

Previously known as the Exhibition House of American War Crimes, and currently housed in a series of eight themed rooms

Cultural Activities

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.

Mekong Delta Floating markets

An early morning visit to the Cai Rang floating market will give your students an opportunity to learn about the

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.