Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

AM – Arrival 

Upon arrival to Ho Chi Minh City you will be greeted by your tour guide who will show you to your hotel where you will have time to relax and unwind after a long flight

PM – Guided tour

After you have unpack and relax a little back at the hotel, your guide will take you on a brief tour of the local area to give you your first proper glimpse of this beautiful city

AM – Mekong Delta cruise

Today we will travel to the Mekong Delta, one of the most beautiful landscapes in all of Vietnam. The Mekong Delta is often referred to as the“rice bowl” of Vietnam because the area produces more than half of  Vietnam’s rice, thanks to good soil, a great water supply and fantastic weather. We will take a boat ride and explore the Mekong Delta’s canals, orchards, local communities and their life. Along the day excursion, the tour guides will show the sustainable development that local farmers are aiming at and what challenges they are facing. We will stay overnight at one of the local orchard gardens.

PM – Cooking with your hosts

We can have some night activities like cooking with the host, walking out for fire flight watching and/or sitting around for an educational reflection.

Mekong Delta Community Service Project

This morning we head to our host community in the Mekong Delta region, to meet our host families and begin our community service project. The community service project is the heart of our program—an excellent way to bond with our new friends through service.

There will be a meeting in to morning, where you are briefed on the project that you will be undertaking during your stay. The projects are determined based on the current needs of the community and may include building houses, bridge building, cementing roads, or setting up a library.

You will work with the support of the local community. There will be master builders on hand to support everyday, with regular breaks taken. There will also be a translator on hand to provide any translations that are needed. You will spend each night in a homestay near to the project site, and upon completion of the project on day 7 you will be transported back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Mekong Delta Community Service Project

On the first day, participants arrive in Vinh Long and gather at the project site, where Chi Ngo, the DET Regional Project Team Leader, provides a welcome briefing. The day includes an introduction to the local community and the background of the housing project. In the afternoon, participants explore Vinh Long City, gaining insights into local culture and engaging with residents to understand their daily challenges. The evening focuses on team building with ice-breaking activities, a briefing on the construction process, and a traditional Vietnamese dinner.

Mekong Delta Community Service Project

The second day kicks off with travel to the construction site, where participants commence the foundation laying process under the guidance of local builders. They learn about construction techniques and the importance of a strong foundation. After lunch with the local community, participants engage in cultural exchange activities and optional educational sessions. The evening involves reflection on the day's experiences, group activities to strengthen bonds, and dinner with host families or a traditional meal.

Mekong Delta Community Service Project – Return to Ho Chi Minh City 

On the final day, participants continue construction work to complete the foundation, culminating in a celebration ceremony with local authorities and the beneficiary family. Symbolic items or gifts are handed over to the family, marking the completion of the project. The afternoon involves visiting other project sites to witness the ongoing impact of previous housing projects, interacting with families, and a group discussion on the overall impact of the service project. The day concludes with a farewell dinner, personal reflections, and optional cultural performances or entertainment.

Upon completion of the project, you will transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City

AM – Ho Chi Minh City, French Quarter

This morning we will have an introduction to the history of South Vietnam as well as this vibrant city, also known as Saigon. We will then explore the city and its many highlights.

Ho Chi Minh City, the most robust city in Vietnam, is an important centre of business, arts and entertainment. It is a city where thousands of motorcycles, rickshaws, cars and buses share the same street and sidewalks are turned into badminton courts. We will have an opportunity to visit both old and new Ho Chi Minh City in the French Quarter before we head to the market streets, the temples of Cholon, and Chinatown.

PM – Cuchi Tunnels

In the afternoon we will visit the Cuchi tunnels. This network of tunnels was built in the early 1940s during the war against the French. The tunnels, more than 820,000 feet long and three levels deep, became famous during the Vietnam War when they were used by the Vietcong guerilla troops as a hideout for their surprise attacks on the Americans and the allied troops.

AM – Return 

After breakfast take a little while to explore to surrounding areas one last time before getting on the bus to the airport for your trip back to the UK

AM – Arrival

Arrive back in the UK