Mekong Delta, 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 – Walking tour

This morning we will have an introduction to the life of Vietnamese urban life by a walk along the small alleys of this charming city. This is a great opportunity to see the real local daily life which is so different from the imagination of a Westerner.

PM – Local market and religious tour 

We will then explore the bustling and colorful life of Vietnamese by visiting a local market. Walking with local people in their shopping will help us to understand the culture and etiquettes of Vietnamese.

Other visits to the floating slum market, the wholesale markets also reflect the different pieces of lives in this bustling city.

The next discoveries are for local beliefs. We visit Vinh Nghiem pagoda here we learn about Mahayana Buddhism and Thien Hau temple to get a touch of Taoism belief. End the day by looking back to the colonial ambiance as walking along Saigon Notre Dame, Central Post Office, Opera House and the City Hall.

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.

AM – Mekong agriculture

This morning we jump on our bus and get a drive further into the Mekong Delta region.

We stop by a community, learning the life of local people on a rice farm, getting your hands on working on a rice farm, and making friends with animals which are the friends of local farmers in Vietnam.

PM – Return to the hotel

In the evening jump back on the bus and return your hotel

AM – Return to Ho Chi Minh City

Today, after breakfast, we will say goodbye to our host families and head back to Ho Chi Minh City. On the way, we will visit a local enterprise and learn how the chocolate is made. Visiting the trees with fruits to make chocolate, listening to the process and tasting some chocolate will be a great learning of sustainable models in rural Vietnam.

PM – Vietnamese cooking class

After lunch, we join a class where we really cook our Vietnamese dishes. Following the chief in the local market to buy ingredients, staying with the chief at his/her instruction, and trying your best in cooking the daily life food of Vietnamese are the great experiences for our students.

AM – Drive to Muine Beach

Today we will change the landscape by a drive to the sea. On the way stop at places to see rubber tree plantations to learn about rubber production and how latex is made, cashew nut plantations to see why it is so expensive, and dragon fruit plantations to understand the stories of this amazing fruit.

PM – Free time

In the afternoon enjoy some free time at the beach and the great water of the Pacific Ocean

AM – Mui Ne

This morning we will spend time discovering the fishing village of Mui Ne. First we have some walk in the shallow stream and enjoy the beauty made by sand formation. Next, we visit a fish sauce house and learn the process of making fish sauce, the typical and authentic seasoning of Vietnamese food. Next, we visit a local village and have a look at their daily life of fishing families. We end the morning by having some fun with sliding from the top of the pink sand dunes.

PM – Return to Ho Chi Minh City

In the afternoon return to Ho Chi Minh City where you will stay overnight

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