Charity Trip Vietnam
TOUR OVERVIEW
- 13 days
- Max people: 25
- Wifi available
- Jan 01 - Dec 31
- Min age:
- Pickup: Airpot
Vietnam Charity Trip: Community & NGO Visits | Jem Travel
Prepare for a meaningful journey where you will have the opportunity to donate your time and support to local communities in Vietnam, creating a positive and lasting impact.
The tour will start in Hanoi, where you can explore the vibrant capital before moving to Mai Chau, where you will stay with a family in an ethnic village, in collaboration with a local association. Here, you will actively contribute to community activities.
Next, you will visit the village of Van Ho Moc Chau, where just 2 years ago there was no electricity. With the sponsorship of NGO organizations, they are now developing both organic agriculture and community tourism. The excursion to Van Ho will be truly authentic, allowing you to experience life in nature and a hospitable community.
You will continue your journey to Hoi An and Saigon, where you will have the opportunity to visit local NGO projects dedicated to supporting communities, such as Mekong Plus in Can Tho. Here, you can closely learn about their initiatives and offer your support.
This responsible tour will provide you with a truly meaningful travel experience, allowing you to directly connect with the most vulnerable realities of Vietnam and contribute tangibly to their improvement. A unique opportunity to travel consciously and leave a positive mark.
ITINERARY
Day 1Hanoi Arrival
Meet and greet by the driver (without a guide) at the airport exit (recognizable by the sign with your name) after you have collected your luggage and completed immigration procedures. You will be transferred and checked in at the hotel.
The rooms will be available starting from 2:00 PM. Early check-in is not included, but can be requested for an additional fee.
The rest of the day will be at your leisure (guide, transportation, and visits are not included).
Day 2Hanoi Visit
Breakfast is included at the hotel.
Meet our guide at the hotel reception at 8:30 AM. The guide will accompany you to visit the Ethnography Museum, which offers a unique opportunity to explore the cultural richness of the numerous ethnic groups present in the Vietnamese territory. After the museum visit, you will head to the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam), considered the first national university of Vietnam. It was built under the Ly dynasty in the 11th century and served as a place of worship for Confucius and a school for the education of royal children.
You will have a free lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (exterior only, as it is closed on Mondays and Fridays) and take a pleasant stroll through the botanical gardens. You will also visit the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house, where he lived and worked. Then, we will reach Ba Dinh Square, the place where Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence of Vietnam from the French in 1945. Afterward, you will visit the One Pillar Pagoda, considered one of the most important symbols of the city.
Finally, you will visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda, which dates back to the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De. Lastly, you will take a cyclo (xich lo) ride for about 40 minutes around Hoan Kiem Lake, known as the Lake of the Returned Sword, which brings to life the legend of a giant turtle and a magical sword used to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam. You will also explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi with its famous lively and vibrant streets.
The day will conclude with a water puppet show, which tells the daily life, culture, and beliefs of the Vietnamese people through the captivating water puppets. The tour will end around 6:00-6:30 PM.
Dinner will be on your own, and you will spend the night in a hotel in Hanoi.
Day 3Hanoi - Mai Chau - Van Ho (NGO Homestay)
Departure from Hanoi after breakfast, transfer to Ban Buot. Check into homestay which is a house on stilts. Enjoy lunch at the homestay. In the afternoon you will visit the organic rice field together with the locals. The day continues with kayaking or swimming activities near a natural waterfall. Return to the homestay for dinner and in the evening you can enjoy a herbal foot bath.
Day 4Van Ho - Hanoi
Wake up early in the morning to admire the sunrise over the valley, have breakfast in the homestay and then move to a natural hot mineral spring. Free time to enjoy nature and life here and then return to Hanoi.
Day 5Hanoi - Halong
Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet the driver at 8:30 AM at the hotel reception for the shared bus transfer to Halong Bay (approximately 4 hours with an intermediate stop).
Halong Bay, called the “bay where the dragon descends into the sea” in Vietnamese, is a beautiful bay with thousands of limestone islands, karst caves, sea stacks, and islets, making it a picturesque and fascinating place. Magnificent, mysterious, and majestic, Halong Bay has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994 and is considered one of the new seven wonders of the world.
Arrival at the port is expected between 12:00-12:30 PM. Afterward, you will follow the cruise company’s program.
NOTE:
- Lunch and dinner with a seafood tasting on board the junk boat (included – no drinks).
- Overnight stay on board in a private deluxe cabin (with air conditioning and shower).
- The cruise program may be subject to changes without prior notice due to weather conditions or decisions by local authorities.
- The junk boat will only have an English-speaking guide provided by the cruise company.
Day 6Halong - Hanoi - Flight to Hue
06:30: You can participate in the Tai-chi session at dawn on the solarium terrace or simply enjoy the stunning view of the bay while sipping a cup of tea or coffee.
07:00: Breakfast will be served in a Western style, to provide you with the necessary energy to tackle a new day of exploration in the bay. During breakfast, you can admire the enchanting panorama that will give you the right energy to face new adventures.
08:00-10:00: Scheduled activities from the junk
10:00: Brunch will be served on board as the Sena Cruise – Luxury Boutique Cruise slowly sails through the emerald-colored waters and through the numerous karst formations towards the port. You will check out from the cruise. Remember to take all your luggage with you.
11:30-12:00: Return to the port and disembark at the Ha Long cruise port.
12:00: Return to Hanoi by bus (about 3 hours). A stop will be made at the Aeon Long Bien Shopping Center, where you will be greeted by a private car that will take you directly to Noi Bai Airport to take a flight to Hue. Once you arrive at Phu Bai Airport, you will be met by a driver in the arrivals hall. You will be provided with a transfer and hotel accommodation in Hue.
Note: For flights to a foreign country, you need to arrive at the airport 3 hours in advance, while for domestic flights, it is sufficient to be there 2 hours before departure. Dinner is on your own, and overnight stay will be at the hotel.
Day 7Hue Visit - Handcraft villages
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure in the morning we go by car/scooter to the old district of Bao Vinh, 5 km north-east of Hue. After an informative introduction to the history of the merchant city and artisan villages, stroll through the characteristic alleys with ancient wooden houses and cultural heritage temples. Bao Vinh feels like the ancient district of Hoi An without the tourist crowds. After visiting some workshops such as blacksmith, mother-of-pearl inlay, it’s time to admire, smell and taste some local products, and have a snack at the central market.
Lunch included in a local restaurant with “Banh Hue”. We then depart for Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in Hue, dating back to 1601. It is the spiritual highlight of the city and well known for its majestic octagonal tower and stunning views of the Perfume River. The visit to the romantic city Hue ends with a visit to the imperial city.
Day 8Hue - Danang -Hoi An Visit
Breakfast is included at the hotel, and you will depart towards the charming city of Hoi An, crossing Da Nang. During the journey, you will have the opportunity to visit the Lang Co fishing village, where you can observe the local residents at work with the original tools of the past. Afterward, you will cross the Hai Van Pass, which represents the geographical, climatic, and cultural boundary between Northern and Southern Vietnam. You will make a brief stop to admire Da Nang from above, including the famous “China Beach,” which stretches for over 30 km. In Da Nang, you will visit the Cham Museum, which houses the richest collection of archaeological artifacts from the ancient Cham Empire, including splendid works of great importance belonging to this ancient people.
Arrival in Hoi An is around noon. You will have a free lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to visit the old town, which includes the famous Japanese Bridge dating back to the 17th century, the Fukien Assembly Hall, founded by a Chinese community devoted to the Goddess of the Sea, and the ancient Phung Hung house. You will be accommodated in a hotel for the night.
Day 9Hoi An - Flight to Saigon - Visit
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Da Nang Airport in a private car for the flight to Saigon. Meeting with our guide at the airport. The day is dedicated to visiting the Independence Palace, which once housed the Presidents of South Vietnam. During the visit, we will have the opportunity to admire the North Vietnamese tank that crossed the threshold of the presidential palace in 1975, marking the end of the controversial Vietnam War. The palace, which spans five floors, offers rooms with original furnishings reflecting the style of the 1960s and 1970s, and also has a basement transformed into a bunker. A must-see in Ho Chi Minh City is the War Remnants Museum. The permanent exhibitions provide a comprehensive view of the Vietnam War, which may offer surprises compared to what we are used to hearing and seeing.
Lunch will be at your leisure at a local restaurant.
Continue your pleasant tour to Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, walking until you reach an iconic attraction of the city: the Central Post Office of Saigon, a magnificent building designed by the famous architect Gustave Eiffel. The rest of the day will be at your disposal to visit the city’s most famous market, Ben Thanh Market, which has been open since 1870. The tour will end around 3:00 pm/3:30 pm. You will then have the rest of the free time at your disposal (without a guide or driver included).
Dinner will be at your leisure, and you will spend the night at the hotel.
Day 10Saigon - Cai Be - Long My
Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet with your tour guide and driver for the transfer to Cai Be. On the way, you will have the opportunity to visit Cao Dai Temple. Once there, you will board a small private boat for a cruise along one of the branches of the Mekong River. You will experience the pace of life on the legendary Mekong River, visiting canals that are lined with orchards. Afterwards, you will have the opportunity to discover the traditional activities of the locals by visiting the village on foot or by bicycle. You will have time to interact with the locals and you will also have the opportunity to participate in a craft workshop where coconut candy is made, a basket weaving workshop made from water hyacinths, and another workshop that specializes in making rice paper and rice cake. You will also have the opportunity to visit a family that specializes in making hammocks. You will enjoy a free lunch of regional specialties at an outdoor restaurant. Finally, you will enjoy delicious seasonal fruits while cruising the canals in a small boat, shaded by fruit trees. Afterwards, you will head to Long My.
Dinner will be at your leisure, and you will spend the night at the hotel.
Day 11Long My Visit - Can Tho (Mekong Plus NGO)
Visit Long My and the Mekong Plus community which was sponsored by an NGO. During the tour you will visit families, schools and your visit contributes to the scholarship for local students.
Day 12Can Tho - Cai Rang Market - Saigon
The day begins with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, followed by a transfer to the pier for an exciting boat trip to the famous Cai Rang floating market, the largest and liveliest in the Mekong Delta. Here, the air is permeated with a multitude of colors and smells that create a sparkling atmosphere. Hundreds of sampans, laden with products such as rice, fruits and handicrafts, crowd the market from the crack of dawn, ready to be sold by traders.
After leaving the market, you will continue our boat adventure through the picturesque canals and stop to visit a fascinating fruit garden. On the way back to Saigon, you will make a stop at the ancient house of Binh Thuy, famous for its wonderful orchid garden, which served as the backdrop for the movie “The Lover.”
You will return to Saigon in the late afternoon, thus ending our unforgettable day in the heart of Vietnam. You will have a free choice of where to dine and spend the night at the hotel.
NOTE: The best time to admire the beauty of Cai Rang market is from 5 to 7 am.
Day 13Saigon Departure
Breakfast at the hotel.
You will have free time in Saigon until the time of the transfer to the airport without the presence of a guide. Please note that the room will be available until 12:00 PM. Please let us know in advance if you would like to extend your stay in the room beyond the departure time. We wish you a safe journey back!
