Grade 7

Hoi An, Vietnam

ETR Tours

Explore Vietnamese culture within the silk route trading town of Hoi An, venturing through scenic farmlands, marvelling at historic sites, and growing awareness of environmental issues. Learn traditional fishing techniques, cook local dishes, craft lanterns, and interact with local villagers. Bike across rice paddies, snorkel in the water’s of Cham Island, and enjoy a ‘Great Race’ around Hoi An town. Visit ancient trading houses, ornate Chinese temples, Japanese Bridge, and Marble Mountain. Students will also learn of the effects of plastic pollution and will participate in cleaning a riverside of rubbish.   

TENTATIVE FLIGHTS (TBC): 

Depart Sunday, March 15th 19:45 arrive 20:30
Depart Friday March 20th 21:50 arrive Saturday March 21st 00:25

Accommodation (New hotel in 2020!): 

Silk Luxury Hotel and Spa

Draft Itinerary

Day 1 (Travel Macau-Danang-Hoi An)

Travel to Vietnam from Macau. Check in to hotel and rest.

Day 2 (Wetlands Tour, Orientation Tour and Cooking Class

Morning

Take private boat tour through wetlands to see fishermen in action, the resident bird life and how the impact of urban development has taken place on this fragile ecosystem.  We will also learn traditional fishing techniques and have the chance to go for a paddle in the strange and unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boats.

Afternoon

We will enjoy an orientation tour around Hoi An and visit some of the most important places of interest including an ancient trading house, Japanese bridge and one of Hoi An’s Chinese temples.  Declared a World Heritage site in 1998, Hoi An serves as a model town for students interested in the development of sustainable tourism.

Evening

Following our time exploring town, we wander down to a famous local cooking school where we will enjoy a hands-on cooking class and discover the secrets to preparing some of Vietnam’s essential dishes, all hosted by one of the town’s talented chefs

Day 3 (My Son and Hoi An Great Race)

Morning

Departing after breakfast we will travel out to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of My Son.  The most important political, religious and cultural center for the Cham civilization, My Son was the seat of a kingdom stretching from the province of Quang Tri north of Hue and to the southern reaches of Vietnam near Phan Thiet.  Today there are some 300,000 Cham descendants in Vietnam.  At its peak in the 12th century My Son was home to many beautifully carved brick towers decorate with depictions of Hindu gods such as Bhadresvara and Shiva.

Afternoon/Evening

After returning to Hoi An town we will enjoy a “Great Race” around the city.  The activity is designed to facilitate urban exploration and to enhance students’ knowledge of this historic city as well as our appreciation of Southeast Asian culture.  We will complete tasks, navigate and collect information and complete activities that will be challenging, fun and educational.

Day 4 (Eco service and bicycle ride)

Our day will be dedicated to the pressing environmental issues of plastic pollution.  The evidence is staggering with tons of plastic debris discarded daily in a manner which pollutes land, rivers, coasts and oceans.  Plastic, a non-biodegradable product, causes great harm to the environment and today we will learn the root cause of this growing problem, the negative effects of plastic pollution to wildlife and marine life and research possible regional solutions.  Working alongside a local NGO, we will view firsthand the impact this issue has on the local community and then utilizing kayaks, we will venture amongst mangroves and Nipa palm cultivations cleaning up the riverside of discarded rubbish, mostly plastic of course!

Afternoon/Evening

The afternoon we spend out in the countryside as we take a bike ride to a local village, mostly through flat countryside paths.  We enjoy marvelous views over rice paddies and learn about the traditional rice production which dominates the life of so many families here.  We will also stop to admire the houses with roofs made of coconut leaves.  The local people make a living by creating furniture out of those leaves as well as bamboo.  We finish our busy day as we return to Hoi An for dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 5 (Cham Island and Water Puppets)

Morning/Afternoon

After breakfast this morning we will transfer to Hoi An’s picturesque waterfront.  Here we will board our private boats for a day trip to Cham Island, a large island some 14 kilometers off shore from the mainland.  En route to the island our boat will stop in a secluded area where we will be able to enjoy a snorkeling activity.  Wetsuits and snorkeling gear will be provided for this activity along with life jackets for those who wish to use them.  We will continue onto the island where we will enjoy a delicious lunch followed by ample time to relax and wade off the island’s gentle beach.  During our time on the island our program leaders will take us on a walking tour around the island where we will have the opportunity to meet local villagers and learn of their lives in this remote fishing community.

Evening

We will travel back to the mainland in the late afternoon and return to our hotel where there will be time to shower and freshen up before taking in an 18:30 performance of Vietnam’s famed water puppet troupe.  Here ancient legends and stories will be retold by way of amusing and entertaining puppeteers just as it was performed hundreds of years ago.  Following the puppet show we head out for a late dinner.

Day 6 (Hoi An-Danang-Macau

Following breakfast and hotel check out this morning we will learn of the ancient Vietnamese craft of lantern making.  Traditionally, lanterns were made of silk and the shapes in which they were made were limited.  With the passage of time however, lantern makers have diversified not only the shapes of the lantern but also the medium with which they are made.  We will have the opportunity to make our own lantern which we take back home as a colorful souvenir of our time in Vietnam.

Another cottage industry Hoi An is famed for is brick making.  We will take a boat trip from Hoi An along the river’s edge passing by a boat building facility and then on to visit the 500-year-old Thanh Ha brick kiln village.  Thanh Ha pottery products are made by very well trained craftsmen.  The craftsmen use special clay mixing, burning and baking techniques, and heat modulations to bring out the different colours, all of which we will see in action.  We visit the workshop museum and have time to try our hand at pottery making.

By mid-afternoon we load our coach and leave Hoi An for Marble Mountain where we will climb to the top to enjoy views of China Beach and the East Sea.  Marble Mountain (which is actually better described as a giant limestone karst) is home to some of central Vietnam’s oldest grottos and caves and remains a place of worship for many local people.  Tonight, we enjoy dinner in Danang before heading to the airport for the flight home.

Estimated price: 11,500 MOP