Vietnam Gap Year Programme

Sapa Sisters – a social enterprise for local women
Welcome to Sapa - a town deep in the north-western mountains of Vietnam, known for its scenic views, hill tribes, rice paddies, and hiking. It is so pretty, and we have arranged for you to experience this area through a dynamic social enterprise called Sapa Sisters, which is owned and run by female guides from ethnic minority Hmong tribe. This enterprise is life-changing as the Hmong highlanders face much higher levels of poverty and many barriers to accessing capital and business connections. Tourism to their area is now providing the opportunity to earn sustainable incomes, helping the wider families and their community to prosper.

You will stay just over a week here living in a homestay for a full-on cultural hit as the sisters guide you to explore the surrounding paddy fields, mountains, hill tribes, and waterfalls by hikes and bikes before helping the community by painting a community house, helping work on the farms, teaching English, sports, and games. Expect full on days but there will time to hang out in Sapa town which has a great vibe, take the cable car into the Fansipan mountain to see Heaven Gate, and be prepared karaoke is a common past time here.

Accommodation

Homestay, rustic, basic but clean and tidy.

Food

3 meals per day cooked by your homestay host – expect rice and noodles.

After a few days of rest in Hanoi you will head out to Cuc Phuong, which is the oldest National Park in Vietnam. It is utterly stunning due to the magnificent limestone mountains which rise majestically from the rice-terraces and home to the Muong hill-tribe.

Conservation at Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW)
Your first 5 days will be spent helping out at SVW, set up to save animals from illegal trade. While you are here you will be involved with the rehabilitation of confiscated animals, especially the pangolin, helping with the feeding, cleaning the cages, and with site maintenance.

On the other days you will explore the National Park (by bike) to find the Botanical Gardena and Cave of Prehistoric Man, before heading out to visit the former capital of Hoa Lu. Here you’ll visit the Dinh & Le Kings’ Temples and climb Buddha’s Palm Mountain for the stunning views of mountains and pagodas.

Ninh Binh
Next up is Ninh Binh, an UNESCO Heritage Site, just 2 hours from Hanoi. This is one of Vietnam’s most striking destinations – with enormous mountains and meandering rivers, best explored by boast and of the bicycle.

Accommodation

At SVW you will stay in the park, at the National Park tourist centre. You’ll have a bed, with mozzi net supplied and western style bathroom. Laundry can be done here for a small fee.

Food

3 meals per day from the canteen or Thao Linh Restaurant, offering different choices. Meals are based around rice, meat, and vegetables. However, on the days exploring the National Park lunches will out and about, at an extra cost.

Ha Long Bay
Your final phase will take to the iconic Ha Long Bay, a World Heritage area of outstanding natural beauty to board a junk styled boat, before resting up on Cat Ba Island.

You will sail off for 1 nights, 2 days on a traditional junk boat, to explore the stunning scenery, which is made up karst rocks, caves, islets, tunnels, lagoons, crystal waters and secluded beaches. It is utterly beautiful, and you will have time to head off on paddle boards and boats to reach the beaches and secret lagoons

In the evening, you will be able to night fish, have a sundowner on the rooftop, watch an Indochina film, or treat yourself to a massage and spot of Tai Chi.

Cat Ba Island
Your final three nights will be spent on the Cat Ba archipelago - the largest of the 367 islands. Here the aim is for you to relax before you take a speedboat back to Hanoi to either fly home or continue with your Asian adventure.

Accommodation

Cosy cabins on the Oriental Sails junk boat - Oriental Sails Cruise

Food

3 meals per day from the set menu