Vietnam Discovery
10 days (includes two days of international travel)
Saigon – Trang Bang - Mekong Delta – Can Tho
February 12 to 22, 2016
Mira Costa High School
Got courage to tell the story? Grab your hand-held media and Go!
Combining cultural awareness, adventure travel, and Digital Storytelling these one-of-a-kind
trips empower you to skillfully transmit global truths. Students learn key aspects of topic
research, news gathering, story reporting, production and the distribution process. We provide
insider’s access to notable locals with fascinating stories to share.
Student Films produced from our Digital Storytelling trips have earned highest awards in film
festivals across the nation. Be recognized for your Creative Vision. Speak Truth.
Trip summary
Explore Vietnam on a regional exploration of Southern Vietnam. Our adventure begins in Saigon
(Ho Chi Minh City). Here, students understand key aspects of the “American War,” including a
visit to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels—an expansive underground network that housed 10,000
Vietnamese during the conflict. Along the way we stop in Trang Bang to meet the family of Kim
Phuc, Life Magazine’s 1972 “Napalm Girl” whose tragic accident and image helped put an end to
the Vietnam War. We transition to the Mekong River for an unforgettable Homestay with
gracious locals. Here, we enjoy an immersive experience in river living where students learn to
shop local markets and cook native gourmet cuisine from the resident matriarch. Kayaking and
easy bike rides allow the group to explore the fertile island network in laid-back style. Students
understand Vietnam’s national and military history, from an exclusive visit with a former
Vietcong general. Our youth exchange project connects our students with those of Mekong
Delta High School, where sports and art projects form the basis of mutual understanding.
Educational Summary
Combining cultural awareness, adventure travel, insider’s access to living historians and
analytical reflection, this one-of-a-kind educational trip empowers students to understand the
causes and consequences of America’s most controversial war. Students learn of Cold-War era
dynamics, geopolitical concerns, policies and personalities which shaped the Indochina conflict.
Through a comprehensive itinerary balancing active learning with quiet reflection, students are
encouraged to perceive the Vietnam War through a lens of compassion. Ultimately, the
synthesis of historical curriculum, conscious tourism, contact with living historians and daily
journal writing provide a framework for applying the lessons of the past upon the geopolitical
conflicts of today.
Office: 805-685-8687
Toll free: 855-40-TOURS
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[email protected]
Tel: 844.39429444 - Fax: 844.39429442
www.friendshiptoursworld.com
Email: [email protected]
ITINERARY
Day 0/ February 13
Dpt. USA for Vietnam
Day 1/ February 14
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Welcome to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)—Vietnam’s financial hub. Our knowledgeable, Englishspeaking guide meets us to begin our adventure. We stay in Saigon’s District One—the most
modern and dynamic region of the city center. We orient ourselves with a brief tour of Saigon,
stopping at the Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral—two of the city's most acclaimed
architectural landmarks. An evening walk and journal-writing at the Rex and Continental Hotels
brings history alive and gives a sense of key wartime sites which served as locations for the “Five
O’clock follies” and Graham Greene’s 1955 classic “The Quiet American.”
Day 2/ February 15
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
After breakfast, the group visits The Reunification Palace: This is one of the most important
buildings in the city. Here on April 30, 1975, the ‘American War' officially ended when tank
number 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of what was, at the time,
the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam.
Thereafter, we proceed to The War Remnants Museum. Formerly known as the Museum of
American War Crimes, this is a poignant display of the futility of war. The ‘Requiem' exhibit is
particularly touching, dedicated to both foreign and Vietnamese journalists who perished during
the conflict. The courtyard outside contains the spoils of war; rusting jets, tanks and cannons
captured from the American military machine. A guided tour from a living historian who was
conscripted to fight with the communists against the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia will share his
stories from the war. Students will reflect with a journal-writing activity in the park following our
time at the museum. Following an early afternoon walking tour of historical neighborhoods
students will spend time working on their journalism projects. In the evening, students may
choose to enjoy an unparalleled “cross-cultural-communist” experience: salsa dancing to a
renowned Cuban band!
Day 3/ February 16
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City): Then and Now
After breakfast, our day starts with a visit to the Jade pagoda which was built in the early 20th
century. It is fascinating as we can see the combined worshiped of three religions here
“Buddhism – Taoism & Confucianism”. We visit China town and thereafter drive along a manmade canal that was an important water way to link Saigon and to the Mekong Delta 200 years
past.
Office: 805-685-8687
Toll free: 855-40-TOURS
2
[email protected]
Tel: 844.39429444 - Fax: 844.39429442
www.friendshiptoursworld.com
Email: [email protected]
Nowadays, goods and products are mostly shipped by truck however, we can still see boats from
the Mekong Delta arriving loaded with agricultural products and returning with consumer
goods. The contrast of past and present encourages student analysis of the tension between
ancient and modern forces shaping this dynamic city. For lunch, students will eat at Pho 2000 –
a delicious authentic restaurant made famous for Bill Clinton’s visit upon normalizing relations
with Vietnam in 1996. Thereafter, students may shop in the landmark Ben Thanh Market, an
unparalleled cultural experience. Students will focus on their documentary projects this
afternoon and into the evening.
Day 4/ February 17
Trang Bang - Cu Chi Tunnels
This morning we will drive outside Saigon to visit Trang Bang, the hometown of Kim Phuc,
famously, “The Girl in The Picture”—the 9-year-old child hit by
napalm whose image was featured in 1972 issue of Life
Magazine. Here, students meet with Kim Phuc’s surviving
relatives for a rare insight into Living History. Walking the
highway where the photo was taken and visiting the adjacent
Cao Dai Temple, where her family hid during bombing raids
gives our groups an unforgettable behind-the-scenes
experience.
After lunch, we visit the Cu Chi tunnels, a winding underground labyrinth that once housed over
10,000 Vietnamese during the height of the War. Now an
interactive museum, the Cu Chi Tunnels is a vital piece of
Vietnam’s living history. Here we take a guided tour, where
students have the opportunity to crawl through the
preserved underground network and try their aim on the
shooting range with a Russian-made AK-47.
Students enjoy a farewell to Saigon dinner, and later
prepare for an early check-out and departure for the
Mekong Delta the following morning.
Day 5/ February 18
Mekong – Vinh Long – Can Tho – Homestay
We rise early for the drive to the Mekong Delta. Experience the unique rhythms of Mekong life
at our overnight Home-stay with the family of a former Vietcong general—an educational
opportunity for invaluable Living History, cultural immersion and exchange. During the Homestay, students shop for ingredients with the house matriarch and learn to cook traditional
cuisine as they help prepare the evening meal. After lunch, students enjoy a supervised bicycle
tour around the Delta islands. Evening games and student bonding activities will endear the
group to our lively hosts.
Homestay: Don't expect comfort but do expect a unique family experience. It offers a glimpse
into the agrarian life of the vibrant Southern Delta region as we wind our way through the
tributaries of the Mekong Delta. Students stay in rooms separated by gender on cots under
mosquito nets. Rustic but clean
Office: 805-685-8687
Toll free: 855-40-TOURS
3
[email protected]
Tel: 844.39429444 - Fax: 844.39429442
www.friendshiptoursworld.com
Email: [email protected]
Day 6/ February 19
Can Tho – Mekong Delta
An early breakfast and boat trip to Cai Be floating market engages students to buy ingredients
and prepare for the cooking lessons. After lunch, a variety of activities along the river delta give
students an authentic experience of local commerce. We visit the cottage industry workshops
(coconut candy, rice paper, pop-rice), enjoy a performance of local traditional music and row
boats along the canal. Students take advantage of their peaceful surroundings spending the
afternoon working on their documentary projects.
Day 7/ February 20
Can Tho – Mekong Delta
Today is spent at the Mekong Delta High School for a specialized day of cultural exchange
project in cooperation with our friends from the Mekong Delta High School. Upon arrival,
students meet with the head of the school for a quick orientation tour and then spend the
afternoon in cooperative teams playing with their peers. We enjoy lunch together, debriefing
the experience, and sharing means of maintaining extended communications. Students are
invited to share personal testimonials of gratitude and heightened understanding with our new
friends. The late afternoon presents an opportunity for students to work on their documentary
projects. An evening musical performance will be the highlight of our farewell celebration.
Day 8/ February 21
Can Tho – Departure
This morning, we depart early from Mekong Delta Homestay for Saigon where we visit our
friends at the Little Rose Shelter in Vietnam. The Little Rose Shelter provides a safe haven,
training and medical needs to girls rescued from human trafficking. After an orientation about
the work and service the center provides, we play games of music and sports with the resident
girls. In the late afternoon, we return to the hotel to shower and prepare for our evening
international flight departure.
*$3175 Price Includes:
 Accommodations and all meals
 Travel insurance
 Entry and Travel Visa
 Entrance fees, performances & excursions
 Private transportation by A/C coach
 English speaking guide
 24/7 Emergency support and crisis management
Office: 805-685-8687
Toll free: 855-40-TOURS
4
[email protected]
Tel: 844.39429444 - Fax: 844.39429442
www.friendshiptoursworld.com
Email: [email protected]

Professional educator supervision and instruction (2 teacher chaperones per 16
students)
 Vietnam War curriculum: eight week pre-departure course webinars (optional)
 NGO project activity and donation
 Pen pal coordination (if requested)
 Gratuities for tour guides/ drivers
 Water & First Aid
Excludes:
 International airfare (estimated at $1300.00)
 Beverages at meals
 School supply donation to local NGOs
Estimated Price* Prices are subject to change and considered final only with confirmed booking.
Tel: 805-685-8687
Fax: 805-968-2327
5
[email protected]
Tel: 844.39429444 - Fax: 844.39429442
www.friendshiptoursworld.com
Email: [email protected]