An Educational Family Vacation to Vietnam

Enjoy Ho Chi Minh, with its pretty streets, buzzy atmosphere and rich history. We can arrange private guides and specialist excursions, restaurant recommendations and suggest the best places to go to simply watch the world go by.

The day begins cruising along the tree lined boulevards of Central Ho Chi Minh City on a classic motorcycle and sidecar; gazing at French inspired colonial architecture and traditional shop houses sitting side by side among 21st Century hi-rises, hotels, modern shops, restaurants and bars. Stop by the French built Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City Central Post Office, the War Remnants Museum and Ben Thanh Market.

Take a step back in time with this private Vietnam War History tour in Saigon. Join an English-speaking guide as he takes you across the city to some of the key locations of the conflict such as the US Consulate, former CIA headquarters and Reunification Palace, learning about the key figures, locations and decisions that impacted the course of this dark historical chapter. Finally, enjoy a lunch of pho soup at the Pho Binh restaurant which used to be the headquarters of Viet Cong commanders where they gathered to plan for the 1968 Tet Offensive.

In the morning, visit the ochre-coloured Fine Arts Museum to learn more about the past, present and future of the arts movement in Vietnam, then to to Ben Thanh Art & Frame Gallery to admire contemporary artworks. Next, drive the private museum of the art collector, Duc Minh, which displays striking works of young artists and provides an overview of the flourishing Vietnamese arts scene.

The tour also stops by Gallerie Quynh, founded in 2000 by a Vietnamese American, Quynh Pham, to promote a selected group of young artists. It also exhibits international painters’ artworks, allowing local community access to a diverse range of contemporary art practice. Finally, drive to the impressive studio of a celebrated artist in Saigon’s suburban District 2. Being inspired by the lights, shadows and colours of Vietnam, artist Helene Kling has lived in Vietnam since 1996.

Visit the underground Cu Chi tunnel system, an immense network dug by the Viet Cong during their wars against the French and Americans to avoid air raids and ground sweep, as well as to launch attacks from. Now a preserved war memorial, learn about their ingenious design that included communication routes, food and weapon caches, hospitals, living quarters, traps and bunkers.

Relax on a beautiful beach and soak up the atmosphere in the pretty town of Hoi An. We can arrange private guides for specialist excursions and ensure reservations at our favourite restaurants.

Visit the local market of Hoi An to enjoy the tantalising sights, smells and flavours of local produce and xplore zigzagging alleys to savour real street food as the local people do on this delicious walking tour.

Stroll through the narrow lanes of Hoi An and soak up the heritage of this old-world town. Highly prosperous between the 17th and 19th centuries, this World-heritage listed area now boasts well-preserved towns, pedestrianized streets and unique cuisine, allowing visitors a glimpse of its illustrious past. On this walking tour there is plenty to visit, including the old merchant’s houses with influences from Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture; the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge; the Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation with outstanding wood carvings; and the colourful market with stalls brimming with local specialties including silk, which can be turned into fashionable garments within a day or two.

Of all the events during the American War in Vietnam, the My Lai massacre is one of the most infamous. The 2-3 hour drive from Hoi An will bring you to the site to visit the museum and wander around the village, getting an insight into the atrocities that took place in 1968 and to to see how My Lai has changed since then.

Depart Hoi An town to the countryside then start cycling through the quiet back roads to My Son. It is one of the foremost Hindu temple sites in South East Asia and a UNESCO listed site. For the Cham civilization that ruled Central Vietnam from the 2nd to the 13th century, My Son was an important place of worship given its location in the center of a ring of mountains. Stroll around the temple complex to learn about the Cham culture, architecture and civilization before returning to Hoi An.

Depart Hoi An and drive three hours over the Hai Van Pass to Hue, which once served as an imperial capital to the Nguyen Lords from the 17th to the 19th centuries. With splendid emperors’ tombs, ancient pagodas and the remains of the Citadel, the city retains its royal charm. First, you'll visit the Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO listed site. Enter through the towering main gate and admire the magnificent architecture and gardens while your guide explains the events and the intrigue of the former royal court. Despite being bombed heavily, there are some incredibly well-preserved sections still intact and others which are in the process of being restored. In the afternoon, drive to visit Thien Mu pagoda, Hue’s best-preserved religious monument. Standing on the riverbank with its seven-storey tower, the pagoda is a wonderful sight. End the trip at the elaborate Khai Dinh Royal Tomb; its architecture showcases elements of eastern art and western design. Drive back to Hoi An town through Hai Van tunnels in the late afternoon.

Learn about the history and traditions of Hoi An's iconic lanterns before learning how to make them with local artisan, Mr Huynh Van Trung.

Enjoy a class with calligrapher Do Minh Nhan who has been preserving Viet Nam's ancestral penmanship in the historic port town of Hoi An for over four decades.