Sustainable Vietnam


Join Sustainable Vietnam to
- Understand sustainable development efforts in Vietnam through site visits, and guest lectures on society, politics, and economy in Vietnam.
- Experience the beauty of Vietnam nature in the best season when you will travel to a national park camp in serenity forest, and learn about the life of hill tribe people.
- Live like a local in the Southern region to learn about climate change culture and local people’s lives.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Learning about sustainable development and how climate change affects Vietnam
- Experience ongoing initiatives of international and local companies in sustainable development
- Witnessing the effect of climate change in the Mekong Delta region
- Trekking and camping in Bidoup national park to learn about Natural reservations and hill tribes people
- Learning about Vietnam’s society, economy, and politics – the three pillars for sustainability
PARTICIPANTS
Undergraduate and graduate students from all majors can apply for the program.
DURATION
29 Dec – 17 Jan 2023 (3 weeks)
ACCOMMO-DATION
- 3-star hotel
- Homestay
- Trekking camp
LANGUAGE
English
LOCATIONS
From 29 Dec to 17 Jan 2023 (3 weeks), participants will arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and travel to different places for their site visits:
- Bidoup national park located in Northern Lam Dong province is well-known for its biodiversity home of 13.000 different species of animals and trees that coexist together, to serve the reserving purpose of artificial impact kept at a minimal level to ensure unique experience travel to Thien Thai waterfall, Hon Giao hill, Đam Rông, and Đưng K’nơ village.
- Mekong Delta regions: the region produces rice for the world but is the most affected by climate change. Traveling here, the students will learn how climate change has affected the region and how it has changed people’s lives, learn about local people’s daily life and their livelihood as well as different methods to live with climate change.
- Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere reserve: the mangrove forest acts as the green lung of HCM city, where the students have a chance to visit the center for environmental education, Shrimp farm, travel by boat through the mangrove forest, and join hands to make the “lung” stronger by planting trees at the forest.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Day 1 – Thu (29.12)
Arrive in Vietnam. Airport pickup. Hotel check-in. Welcome dinner with new friends.
Includes: Coach, dinner and hotel.
Day 2 – Fri (30.12)
Group orientation. Guest lecture on Vietnamese Culture and Language.
Includes: Coach and hotel
Day 3 – Sat (31.12)
Saigon city tour. The tour is a mixture of culture, history, and lifestyle with different historical places to visit such as Cathedral, Post office, Local market, central park, reunification palace, and traditional food, drink to try, and traditional games with local Vietnamese students. In the evening, the group will together countdown to welcome the new year.
Includes Hotel, coach, entrance tickets, and tours as well as Breakfast and Lunch.
Day 4 – Sun (01.01)
Free day with local buddies
Includes: Hotel and breakfast.
Day 5 – Mon (02.01)
Can Gio Mangrove Restoration Project: visit the center for environmental education, communication, and ecotourism. Visit a Shrimp farm, and travel by boat through the mangrove forest.
Mangrove Planting and restoration project.
Includes: Hotel, coach, and breakfast
Day 6 – Tue (03.01)
Guest lecture on Vietnam’s economy. Greenviet: a company that provides consulting services on Greenbuilding. The students will have a chance to learn about sustainable development under the theme of construction as well as the very inspiring story of the founder.
Includes: Hotel, coach, and breakfast
Day 7 – Wed (04.01)
Guest lecture on sustainable development. What is Vietnam facing: economic development vs environment protection.
NGO visit – suggested NGOs: LIN/CHANGE/Zerowastevietnam: who is working on communication, and advocacy on environmental protection.
Includes: Hotel, coach, and breakfast
Day 8-9 Thu & Fri (05 – 06.01)
Mekong delta: the region heavily affected by climate change threatens the food security of the world as this is one of the regions producing rice for the global population. For 2 days 1 night, the students have a chance to visit sluice gates preventing salinity in the Mekong tributary, stay at a homestay, cook with the local family, and learn about their daily life and stories about how their life has changed due to climate change and after the Covid 19. The students also have a chance to learn more about the life on boats of the local people with the floating market, handicraft villages, and fruit gardens.
Includes: Hotel, homestay, coach, tour as well as breakfast x 2, lunch x 2, dinner x 1.
Day 10 – Sat (07.01)
Free day with local buddies
Includes: Hotel and breakfast
Day 11 – Sun (08.01)
Start up day (Recycled): The students have a chance to visit different start-ups on sustainability to inspire them about social responsibility and have an action for the future. Suggested visits to Plastic People: a company reborn “dead” plastic into contemporary furniture. EQUO: a start-up producing organic straws from farm products. Vietnam Zero Waste:
Phenikka: a company using AI to provide transportation solutions to the city.
Includes: Hotel, coach, and breakfast
Day 12 – Mon (09.01)
“Renewable energy” Company visits:
- SolarBK a local company produces products using solar energy;
- Vietnamzerowaste: a local company utilizing wastes to produce energy for factories.
- Shire oak international: a leading international company in renewable energy.
- INDEFOL solar
Includes: Hotel, coach, and breakfast
Day 13 – Tue (10.01)
Companies with Corporate Social Responsibilities projects: tentative companies to visit:
URC: a food and beverage company
Vinamilk: the biggest milk production company in Vietnam
Heineken: a beer company
After dinner, the students check out the hotel and start their journey to Lam Dong province on an overnight sleep bus.
Includes: Breakfast and coach.
Day 14-17 Wed-Sat (11 – 14.01)
Tropical trekking in Bidoup National Park:
Arrive in the National Park in the morning, the group check in the accommodation, have breakfast, and start the hiking and trekking trail. The trail provides the student’s knowledge about the national park, the culture of the hill tribe people, visiting waterfall and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the jungle.
Sleeping in the guest house of the national part education center, tent
Campfire
Dancing and farming work with the hill tribe people
All meals are included during the trail.
Includes: Coach, homestay, all meals, trekking and hiking.
Day 18 – Sun (15.01)
Arrive in HCMC. Rest and prepare for the final presentation
Includes: Hotel and breakfast.
Day 19 – Mon (16.01)
Final Presentation and Farewell diner
Includes: Hotel, breakfast and dinner.
Day 20 – Tue (17.01)
Departure from Vietnam
Includes: Breakfast, coach.
What’s included
- Airport transfer (pick-up & see-off)
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel, twin room, same-gender/room, breakfast, free Wi-Fi and room service; homestay or camping tent as described in the itinerary
- Meals: Breakfast at the hotel; welcome and farewell dinners; other meals as listed in the itinerary
- Program development
- The program coordinator accompanies the group in every activity for the whole program
- Local buddies
- On-site orientations
- All site visit arrangements and coordination
- Ground transportation as described in the itinerary
- Guide and entrance fees for all excursions as listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 emergency contact number (SOS card)
- All gratuities to bus drivers, tour guides, and/ or similar.
Payment and refund policy
- Contact us for a request of proposal for a customized program fee.
REVIEWs ON US

Featured educators
“Working with ABROADER has been a delight; their partnership in building a program that works for both our model and local realities has been top notch. Over the last few years, we have worked closely together to open a new location for Northwestern’s Global Engagement Studies Institute (GESI) in Hanoi. This eight-week program sends small groups of Northwestern students to intern directly with community-based organizations in Hanoi to partner on work prioritized by the host organization. ABROADER builds and maintains relationships with a wide variety of organizations that are passionate about their missions, as well as hosting students.”
COREY ANNE PORTELL
Northwestern University, United States
Senior Program Manager, Global Engagement Programs, Global Learning Office

Featured educators
“I thank you for your warm greetings ever since my first visit to Hanoi in 2015. We mainly deal with study tours for Japanese university students, but it is not unusual for students to go abroad for the first time. In an environment where individualized care is required for such students, sincere support has always been provided. Also, seeing our students interact with local students and host families in English, which is not their native language, allows for communication from the heart, which extends beyond just language. That experience has led to their confidence, and this is always touching. All of this is thanks to the pre-training of local students and host families and your efforts as a team.”
YUKO TAKAMOCHI
Ryugaku Journal Inc., Japan
Corporate Sales Manager, Private Organization for Overseas Education

Featured educators
“ABROADER has an extensive industry network that they utilise to provide the students with industry tours relevant to their classroom work. They have well established links to a number of Vietnamese Universities and use them such that coordinated activities and learning experiences are shared between Vietnamese students and students from Newcastle. ABROADER also maintains a local buddy system which providé an amazing insight into the Vietnamese people and culture. Students from Newcastle also appreciate the culture and volunteer days, not only as a break from their classroom studies, but as a learning experience as well as a chance to give a little back to Vietnam.”
JAMES WELSH
University of Newcastle, Australia
Associate Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Computing

Featured educators
“For many years, ABROADER has been my trusted partner when I send my students to Vietnam. From ABROADER’s vast network of relationships with great industry leaders to their ability to pair students with local buddies, ABROADER ensures that my students gain a learning experience of a lifetime through deep immersion into the local businesses and culture. In helping with getting my students’ visas processed and from a risk management perspective as well, their team is reliably efficient, thorough, flexible, and highly professional. My heart-felt thanks to Lucy Nguyen and her excellent team for all that you do for my students!”
PROFESSOR LYNN IMAI
Ivey Business School, Western University, Canada
Counsellor & Coach | Global Leadership Expert

Featured educators
“I would like to thank you for your leadership, guidance and support of our pre-service teachers. Your thorough planning, preparation and attention to detail, along with your outstanding leadership during this professional experience, ensured that it was a great success for all concerned. The experiences that you enabled our pre-service teachers to have, and the relationships that you have built with collaborating schools, are vital to the work of the Faculty Education at Monash University. Your wealth of knowledge and experience in supporting the organization of quality International Professional Experience for our students is highly appreciated and valued.”
DOCTOR REBECCA COOPER
Monash University, Australia
Senior Lecturer

Featured educators
“I was part of the Ohio University Global Engagement team that visited Vietnam in 2019. Lucy and her team made the trip a never-to-forget trip. Though we were a bunch of faculty and staff, not the usual exchange students that ABROADER handles, they still were there for us. From the stroll in the central market of Ho Chi Minh City, boat-ride down the Mekong Delta, interaction with local business leaders and university faculty – ABROADER did an excellent job! When it comes to groups, exchange students, study-abroad students’ trips to Vietnam intending to have an authentic worthy Vietnamese experience, then without a shade of doubt, I would recommend ABROADER!”
GREG-VICTOR C. OBI, PH.D.
Ohio University, United States
Professor of Business Management Tech – College of Business






