Vietnam Geography and History- Sample Tour

Hanoi Arrival and Street Food Tour

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Arrive in Hanoi, the "River-bound City" and capital of Vietnam, with a rich history dating back to 1010. The city is known for its fascinating beauty, characterised by
unique cultural relics, ancient streets with antique houses, elegant French colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards, and romantic lakes, making it one of the most charming cities in Asia.

Meet your local Tour Manager and start your experience in Vietnam with a local street food tour that will delve deep into Hanoi’s culinary scene. Venture into Dong Xuan, the largest covered market in the city, learn about the history of northern Vietnamese dishes, and watch local dishes come to life by skilled chefs before tasting them.

Curriculum Links:

Geography – Influence of local food production and trade on northern Vietnamese cuisine.
History – Colonialism's influence on food

Hanoi City Tour

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Start your day at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where locals line up each morning to pay respects to Vietnam’s former leader and see the modest stilt house where he once lived. In front of the mausoleum is Ba Dinh Square, Vietnam’s largest square and the site of many of Vietnam's key historical events. Explore the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 to honour Confucius and later home to Hanoi’s first university. Dive into the country’s past at the Vietnam Military History Museum, showcasing Vietnam’s fight for independence and visit Hoa Lo Prison Museum, also known as the Hanoi Hilton, built by the French to hold Vietnamese political prisoners but later held U.S. prisoners during the Vietnam War. Finish your tour with a relaxing stop at Hanoi Train Street, where you can enjoy a drink at a local café and watch trains pass just metres away—perfect for a memorable photo. (Note: Train Street access depends on current regulations.)

Curriculum links:

Geography – Urban growth, City Planning
History – French Colonisation, Resistance Movements, Vietnam War

Hanoi Jeep Tour

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Head out on a Jeep Tour exploring Hanoi’s Old Quarter, a maze of narrow streets buzzing with life. Each street has its own specialty— silver, paper, or silk—reflecting the city's centuries-old trade traditions. You'll see a blend of ancient temples, colonial shopfronts, street food stalls, and scooters weaving through the crowds. It’s the perfect place to soak up Hanoi’s unique energy.

Just south of the Old Quarter is the elegant French Quarter, known for its wide boulevards, French colonial architecture, and grand buildings like the Hanoi Opera House and St. Joseph’s Cathedral. This area reflects Vietnam’s colonial past and offers a quieter, more refined atmosphere with tree-lined streets, cafes, and embassies. Together, both quarters tell the story of Hanoi’s rich cultural and historical layers.

Curriculum links:

Geography – Urbanisation and development, urban planning
History – Colonisation

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Ha Long Bay Cruise

Location: Hạ Long Bay, Vietnam

Enjoy an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay! Cruising through Ha Long Bay’s towering limestone islands offers a stunning glimpse into Vietnam’s natural beauty.

Visit a Pearl Farm, go kayaking in the scenic surroundings, or hike up Bo Hon Island to visit Sung Sot Cave, a large limestone cave with stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years.

Towards the end of the day the boat sets anchor for the night among the karst formations.

Enjoy a morning exploring before disembarking and heading to your next destination.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography – Limestone karsts and islets, Fisheries and aquaculture, UNESCO World Heritage listings, Tourism impacts, Pollution
History – Naval importance during historical conflicts (resistance during French colonial times and the Vietnam War), UNESCO designation

Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)

Location: Truong Son National Military Cemetery, Linh Trường, Gio Linh District, Quảng Trị, Vietnam

Add in a visit to Vietnam's Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), established during the Vietnam War.

Visit various war sites, including the Truong Cemetery - the largest soldiers' cemetery in the DMZ area, dedicated to the estimated 25,000 men, women and children who died on the Truong Son Trail, better known in the west as the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Explore the Vinh Moc tunnels, an amazing complex of tunnels, where over a thousand people sheltered, sometimes for weeks on end, during the worst American bombardments.

You will then visit Ben Hai River, an important landmark in the partition of the country into a northern and a southern zone along the 17th parallel by the Geneva Accords of 1954. The DMZ separating the two parts extended about 5 kilometres from either side of the river, and Hien Luong Bridge.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography – Human-environment interaction - role of natural landscape in military strategy and civilian survival during the Vietnam War. Deforestation during war. Migration and refugees.
History – Role of Geneva Accords, Vietnam War, Global Cold War, National Identity and Protest Movements, Post-war migration.

Hue

Location: Hue, Hue City, Vietnam

The historic city of Hue, was once the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty. A key battleground during the Vietnam War, in particular during the Tet Offensive, Hue was heavily damaged during one of the war's bloodiest battles. Despite this, Hue remains the cultural heart of Vietnam, with ancient citadels and royal tombs.

Enjoy a visit to Hue Citadel - Vietnam’s former imperial capital and UNESCO World Heritage site. With an area of 500ha and a system of three circles of ramparts, Kinh Thanh Hue (Hue Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel) and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel) and Khai Dinh Tomb, the Hue Citadel is the result of merging architectural trends from ancient and modern Europe and Asia.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography – Reconstruction after war, UNESCO heritage conservation, Centre of Vietnamese arts and religion
History – Battle of Hue, Tet Offensive, Vietnam War coverage and media coverage, Anti-war movements, Destruction of Heritage

Hoi An Ancient Town

Location: Hoi An ancient town, Đường Bạch Đằng, Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

Hoi An, is a former bustling maritime commercial port between the 15th and 19th centuries, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known for its exceptionally well-preserved architecture, traditional lifestyle, and cultural fusion influenced by Vietnam, China, Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Enjoy a guided walking tour around Hoi An Ancient Town, visit Japense covered bridges, Museum of Trade Ceramics, Tan Ky House, Ong Temple and Local Markets.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography: River systems and coastal geography, role of geography in urban development, trade and agriculture, environmental sustainability, tourism, climate change impacts on coastal communities.
History – Understand the influence of cultural exchange and trade, colonisation and global connections, preservation of historical sites, UNESCO World Heritage Listing.

Cam Thanh Village

Location: Cẩm Thanh, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

Head out on the quiet banks of the Co Co River on a wooden boat to Cua Dai port. Watch local fishermen cast nets and haul traps with skills handed down through generations. You will trade your boat for a bamboo basket boat and weave through the green maze of Cam Thanh, known as the “green lungs” of Hoi An. Enjoy a stop at a fisherman’s home for a fresh coconut drink and a local meal.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography – Productive mangrove forest and nipa palm ecosystems, buffer zones protecting Hoi An from coastal erosion and storms, sustainable use of local products for building and handicrafts, eco-tourism, climate change concerns with saltwater intrusions
History – traditional fishing and farming cultures, use of basket boats (thung chai) a wartime innovation to evade radar, Cam Thanh was a resistance base during the Vietnam War.

Cooking Class

Location: Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

Learn some new skills with a cooking class in Hoi An. Start out in the colourful markets learning about the different ingredients you will use later in your class. Enjoy a cruise along Hoian River to the cooking school, enjoying the sites of local river life. On arrival, explore the cooking school’s herb gardens before learning about some of Hoian’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. You will also learn about Vietnamese food carving or plate decoration.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography: influence of local geography on agriculture and food,
History: historical influence on food from colonisation and trade

An Bang Beach

Located close to Hoi An, An Bang Beach is one of the best beaches in Vietnam. Enjoy a leisurely cycle to An Bang Beach from Hoi An through Rice Paddy Fields, passing local markets and the picturesque Tra Que Vegetable Village.

See how tourism and urban expansion have transform this local village into a tourism hotspot.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography- Impact of Tourism on coastal beaches, coastal development, coastal erosion and rising sea levels
History- Change in village life from fishing to tourism, strategic important for Vietnam War, Post war reconstruction and tourism boom

Get Clothes Tailor Made for You!

Location: Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

In Hoi An you will have a chance to visit the local tailor shops and get tailored garments made - long-lasting souvenirs!*

*Additional costs

My Lai Massacre

Location: My Lai Massacre, Tịnh Khê, Son Tinh District, Quang Ngai, Vietnam

Travel south of Hoi An to Son My and the Son My Memorial for the victims of the My Lai Massacre. In 1968, during the Vietnam War, US Army personnel were involved in the mass murder of 502 women and children killed during the Vietnam American War. The massacre caused the small river in the village to turn red from the blood. You will watch a short documentary on the March 16th event in 1968 before heading through the museum. Kept secret for 18 months, when whistleblowers and journalists released the news to the public, it led to a new wave of anti-war protests in the USA.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography - Role of physical geography in warfare, impact of war on subsistence farming, mass displacement of civilians
History- War Crimes and ethics, Role of media in conflict, Vietnam War, Civilian experience in war, Historical memory and global perception of Vietnam War.

My Son

Location: Mỹ Sơn, Đô Lương District, Nghe An, Vietnam

West of Hoi An is My Son Sanctuary, an ancient Hindu temple complex built by the Champa Kingdom during the 4th to 13th Century CE. Thought of as Vietnam's version of Angkor Wat, My Son is the most significant Cham archaeological site in the country. Heavily bombed by the U.S Forces in the Vietnam War, My Son is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Set in a dense tropical forest valley bordered by the Truong Son Mountains, you will how the native ecosystem has both protected and damaged the ruins.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography- Impact of climate and war on cultural landscapes, sustainable tourism and cultural conservation, tropical rainforest ecosystems
History- Ancient civilisations of Southeast Asia, Indian influence on Southeast Asian Culture, War and cultural destruction, UNESCO World Heritage

Ba Na Hills

Location: Ba Na Hills, Thôn An Sơn, Hòa Ninh, Hòa Vang, Da Nang, Vietnam

Head out to Ba Na Hills on Chua Mount, travelling along one of the most scenic routes in Vietnam past Da Nang City and Red Beach. Originally built by French colonists as a hill station to escape the heat of the lowlands, Ba Na Hills is now one of the most well-known amusement parks in Vietnam. Featuring the famous Golden Bridge (held by giant stone hands), European-style fantasy village, gardens, pagodas, and a cable car which was once the world's longest and highest cable car in the world.

Explore this fantasy land above the clouds, high in the mountains!

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography – Mountain environments and ecosystems, ecotourism vs mass tourism, climate zones and altitude, Infrastructure in remote/high altitude areas
History – Colonial heritage, (French influence early 20th Century), Modern tourism development, Tourism as a form of national development, Post colonial transformation and heritage use

Mekong Delta

Location: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

The Mekong Delta is one of the largest and most fertile deltas in Asia, covering about four million hectares, supporting a population of about 18 million people who depend on the delta for agriculture and aquaculture. Spend a night in the delta exploring various habitats and villages within the delta, staying in a hotel run by a local family, allowing you an insight into local life.

Highlights include a visit to the small town of Cai Be, Tan Phong Island, cooking special local dishes with a local family, experiencing a local market in a floating village and learning about how locals live and thrive within the delta.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography – Delta formations and features, “Vietnam’s Rice Bowl”, food production, vulnerability to climate change, impacts of damming and deforestation upstream, human-environment interaction, impacts of chemical warfare on environment and agriculture,
History – strategic hub in colonial and modern eras, French colonist development of canals and plantation systems, Vietnam War battleground and guerrilla tactics, cultural diversity, military strategy and terrain

Ho Chi Minh City

Location: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, reflects a layered history shaped by French colonialism, the Vietnam War, and its transformation into Vietnam’s economic powerhouse.

Be moved by the War Remnants Museum, learning about the impact of biological warfare and peace movements worldwide, exploring the museum's comprehensive collection of war-related machinery, weapons and exhibits. Learn about the Fall of Saigon at the Reunification Palace and see the influence of European architecture in the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Central Post Office.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography – Urban planning during colonial and post-war periods, french influence on urban planning and building materials
History – Vietnam War from the Vietnamese perspective, war crimes and civilian impact, global anti-war movements, peacebuilding, Vietnam's political division and reunification, fall of Saigon, Cold War context, French and Catholic influence, European architectural influences

Cu Chi Tunnels

Location: Cu Chi Tunnel, Phú Hiệp, Phú Mỹ Hưng, Củ Chi, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The famous Cu Chi Tunnels, were a major underground hideout and resistance base of Viet Cong forces during the two wars against the French and the Americans. While Australian, New Zealand and U.S. troops did not directly operate in the Cu Chi Tunnels, their 'Tunnel Rats' experiences with similar Viet Cong tunnel systems were parallel, and the Cu Chi complex remains relevant in understanding the kind of underground warfare faced by South Vietnamese, U.S, Australian and New Zealand forces.

The tunnels, entirely hand-dug, formed a highly intricate network of interlinked multilevel passageways over 120km in length, at times stretching as far as the Cambodian border. Its complexity was beyond imagination, containing meeting rooms, kitchens, wells, clinics, schools, depots, trenches and emergency exits all created for guerrilla warfare. The tunnels were deep and strong enough to withstand destructive bombings and self-contained enough to outlast prolonged sieges.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography – role of red laterite soil’s hardness and stability in digging multi-level tunnels, impact of bombing and agent orange on ecosystems (environmental impact of war), subterranean infrastructure and planning, sustainable tourism and historical preservation, tropical forest ecosystems and land use.
History – Vietnam war context, underground network used by the Viet Cong, guerrilla warfare, Tet Offensive, resilience and adaptability of local fighters, asymmetric warfare and civilian involvement, anti-war movements.

Optional Add In on this day: Learn how food goes from farm to table. Visit an agricultural village and see how local farms produce produce from buffalo to vegetables. You will then learn how to prepare local dishes and visit a rice paper factory to see how they produce a local staple at a larger scale.

Long Tan Battlefield

Location: Long Tan Cross, Long Tân, Đất Đỏ District, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Vietnam

Travel to Ba Ria – Vung Tau, and visit the Long Tan Memorial Cross, located in the tranquil surrounds of the rubber plantations.

Take a moment to reflect on the Battle of Long Tan (1966), arguably the best-known battle fought by the Australian Army during the Vietnam War (New Zealand troops provided military support during this battle). Stop by the former 1st Australian Task Force Base at Nui Dat, which is now a clearing surrounded by rubber plantations. Travel on to Long Phuoc to see the vestiges of a former wartime tunnel complex.

Continue to a viewing point from which you can see Horseshoe Hill from afar (off limits to visitors), a strategic observation outpost established by Australian forces.

Afternoon, continue to Long Hai Hill (also call Minh Dam secret zone) which was the main base of Viet Minh & Viet Cong during the Vietnam War with many natural caves as the medical cave, and head headquarters cave. Visit the massive VC memorial where more than 2000 local soldiers died in the war.

Curriculum topics/discussions:

Geography: This visit highlights how Vietnam’s natural terrain—rubber plantations, hills, and caves—shaped military strategy, base locations, and combat conditions during the Vietnam War.
History: Students gain firsthand insight into Australia’s role in the Vietnam War by visiting key sites like the Long Tan Cross and Nui Dat, deepening their understanding of the conflict’s events, local impact, and lasting legacy.

Phnom Penh

Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap Rivers, making it a key hub for trade, transport, and culture in Southeast Asia. Once known as the “Pearl of Asia” during French colonial times, the city is a powerful blend of royal heritage, colonial architecture, and deep historical scars.

Enjoy visiting the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, symbols of Cambodia's monarchy and spiritual life, learn about Cambodia's independence from France at the Victory Monument (Independence Monument), and learn about the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime through a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (former hgigh school) and Killing Fields where more than 17,000 people were imprisoned, tourtured and killed.

Topics Covered:

Geography – Urban planning, cultural geography, militarisation of urban buildings, urban landscapes repurposed for political repression, urban market hub
History – French and Khmer history, Angkorian and pre-Angkorian periods, Khmer Rouge, genocide under Pol Pot, influence of Soviet Expat Communities, post-war economic rebuilding

Add on Cambodia to the end of your Vietnam Trip - short flight or an overland border crossing from Ho Chi Minh City!

APOPO Centre: The Hero Rats

Location: APOPO Visitor Center, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

Visit APOPO’s Landmine Rats also known as HeroRATs. Discover how they train African Giant Pouched Rats (they are much cuter than they sound and super smart, too!) to detect landmines and unexploded ordnance in Cambodia and beyond, playing a vital role in clearing these dangers.

See the rats in action, learn about Cambodia’s recent history, and even hold a rat yourself!

Topics Covered:

Geography- This visit helps students understand how Cambodia’s physical landscape—shaped by past conflicts—remains affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance, highlighting the long-term environmental and humanitarian impacts of war on rural terrain and community development.
History- Students gain insight into Cambodia’s recent history, particularly the legacy of conflict under the Khmer Rouge and subsequent civil war, and how modern technology and innovation are being used to address the enduring consequences of that violent past.

Angkor Day

Location: Angkor Wat, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

Head out to visit Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th Century. Home to the symbol of Cambodia's national identity, you will have the whole day to explore Angkor Thom, the capital city of the Khmer Empire, Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with 200 smiling faces, Ta Prohm, one of the most beautiful temples in Angkor, and the stunning Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world!

In the afternoon, enjoy a biking tour of a local village, Krobey Riel. The village is known for organic vegetables, and you will have the chance to interact with local villagers and learn about their daily life and home-based farming. At the end of the tour, you will visit a local primary school and interact with the students.

Topics Covered:

Geography – Engineering to climate (careful management of water through hydraulic engineering due to monsoon climate), relationship between environmental change (droughts and deforestation) and the empire's decline, modern challenges including tourism pressure, climate impacts and preservation of cultural landscapes.
History – Rise and fall of the Khmer empire, advanced architecture, engineering and urban planning (incl massive reservoirs, canals and stone temples), religious transition from Hinduism to Buddhism, rediscovery of Angkor by explorers, archaeologists and modern conservationists.

Siem Reap: Floating Village, Temples and Khmer Dance Show

Location: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Today visit Bantaey Srei Temple and Bantaey Samre, the 10th and 12th Century temples dedicated to the Hindu gods Shiva and Parvati. Banteay Srei is known for its fine pink sandstone carvings and is considered a classic pearl in the crown of Khmer Art.

In the afternoon, head out on a boat to the floating village of Tonle Sap. Learn about the village's lifestyle and food production. Learn about their unique building designs which have helped the village survive the expansion of Tonle Sap during Monsoon Season, where the lake expands 5 time its size!

This evening you will enjoy a Khmer Aspara Dance show during dinner.

Topics Covered:

Geography – visit the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, unique seasonal flow reversal, floodplain agriculture, UNESCO Biosphere reserve, and adaptations of the population to seasonal flooding
History – Ancient trade and governance seat, Banteay Srei was built by a priest, which was different to other temples built by royals, use of different materials, designs and carvings between the two temples. Khmer Apsara Dance reflects Cambodia’s ancient history and spiritual traditions, tracing its origins to the classical court performances of the Angkor era depicted in temple carvings.

Vietnam Geography and History- Sample Tour

Overview

Hanoi Arrival and Street Food Tour

Hanoi City Tour

Hanoi Jeep Tour

Ha Long Bay Cruise

Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)

Hue

Hoi An Ancient Town

Cam Thanh Village

Cooking Class

An Bang Beach

Get Clothes Tailor Made for You!

My Lai Massacre

My Son

Ba Na Hills

Mekong Delta

Ho Chi Minh City

Cu Chi Tunnels

Long Tan Battlefield

Phnom Penh

APOPO Centre: The Hero Rats

Angkor Day

Siem Reap: Floating Village, Temples and Khmer Dance Show

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