Vietnam: Northern Service Adventure

Arrive into Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to the hotel and settle in, relaxing after your long flight. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture. In the afternoon, take to the streets for an introduction to Vietnam. Learn about the country’s 54 ethnic groups at the Museum of Ethnology, visit the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, and take a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake. Dinner will be at a delicious local restaurant in the Old Quarter.

Today will be spent acclimatizing to life in Vietnam and exploring the city of Hanoi, which celebrated its 1000th birthday in October 2010. Known as one of the most beautiful cities in Southeast Asia, Hanoi has a vibrant mixture of colonial French and traditional Vietnamese architecture, narrow tree lined streets and many beautiful lakes. Visi Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature, and also the famous Hoa Lo prison (aka “the Hanoi Hilton”), where Senator John McCain and many other POW’s were interned during the war. Explore Museum of Ethnology to learn about 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam and gain a better understanding of the diverse yet unified cultures of Vietnamese. Walk around Hoan Kiem lake, the center of Hanoi’s urban life, to take in the evening atmosphere and sample delicious street food along the way.

The landscape out the window is truly breathtaking as we drive through mountainous cliffs towering above lush rice fields on our way to the Tu Do Commune villages. The Tu Do Commune villages are located inside Ngoc Son – Ngo Luong Nature Reserve and are located off the beaten path in areas rarely visited by tourists. After a three and a half hour drive, arrive at the village and have lunch at the home of a local family. Trek the remaining distance to your homestay for the next few nights.

Rise early to the aromas of freshly cooked breakfast and mist over the stream running through the village. As you awaken today you will begin to feel the remoteness of your surroundings and appreciate the simplicity of village life. Go to your service site to assist the community with an ongoing community-initiated project. All service projects have been designed by a community-based association to either support the protection of the area’s natural and cultural resources, create alternative income opportunities, or improve the infrastructure of the surrounding villages.

After completing your service work for the day, you will have the opportunity to explore the surrounding rice fields or simply relax and enjoy the scenery before dinnertime. Join your group for a post-service debrief in the evening, discussing what you experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community. On the final night in the village, end your time with a community celebration showcasing traditional Muong culture through song and dance.

Say goodbye to your host families and trek back to the village to meet the bus. Journey back to Hanoi and enjoy an evening back in the city. Along the way enjoy ice-cold fruit shakes and delicious bowls of noodle soup and other wonderful northern Vietnamese delicacies. Enjoy the rambling streets, busy markets and old world charm of this bustling city. Dinner will be at a local restaurant in the Old Quarter.

Drive to Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and climb aboard a traditional “Chinese Junk boat” for a cruise among the jagged limestone karsts. Explore Sung Sot cave and swim at Titop Beach, before settling in for a night under the stars.

Continue your boat trip around Halong Bay. Go kayaking in Luon cave and stop by Bai Tu Long Bay and Fire Island to see the exotic birds, monkeys, and antelope. Return to Hanoi in time for dinner.

On your last morning in Vietnam, rise early and enjoy one last baguette and strong Vietnamese coffee before heading back to Hanoi for your departing flight. Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.