Program Directed by
Patrick Noyes
If you have questions or would like to talk further about this program, please get in touch!
Travel to Vietnam and immerse yourself in a coastal community on the South China Sea during this summer service learning program for high school students. Collaborate with local government representatives and community members as you engage in construction-based service activities, and build lasting connections with your Vietnamese hosts. Experience the distinct cultures, foods, and architecture of Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, and Hanoi on excursions with your group, and cap the program off with a cruise amidst the towering limestone cliffs and lush islands of Halong Bay.
- Program Highlights
• Lend a hand constructing houses for local families
• Swim and relax at beautiful beaches off of Vietnam’s central coast
• Get clothing tailored in the ancient city of Hoi An
• Explore Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter and breathtaking Ha Long Bay
• Swim and relax at beautiful beaches off of Vietnam’s central coast
• Get clothing tailored in the ancient city of Hoi An
• Explore Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter and breathtaking Ha Long Bay
“We became a family in a week—united, honest, loving, and caring. Everyone in the group accepted and respected each other. I made lifelong friends and was so sad to say goodbye to all of them.”
—Sofia M., American School Foundation, Mexico City, Mexico
Itinerary
This itinerary represents our best projection of the group’s schedule. However, we may implement changes designed to improve the quality of the program.
Departure — Travel Day
Meet your fellow high school student travelers and one or more of your leaders in Los Angeles and fly together to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Ho Chi Minh City — 2 days
Settle into your accommodations in the center of Ho Chi Minh City as you get to know your group and learn about Vietnam’s history, food, and culture. Hold an in-depth group orientation on your time in Vietnam, with particular focus on your host community and the service projects you will complete.
Host Community — 9 days
Fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Chu Lai and travel to your host community along the central coast by private bus. Settle into a comfortable, family-owned guesthouse that will serve as your home base throughout the program. Each day, help construct “compassion houses” for families in need alongside local construction crews in an area where some of the most intense fighting of the Vietnam War once occurred. Bicycle to and from your work site along rural roads that wind through neighborhoods, rice paddies, and shrimp farms. Participate in Vietnamese/English language exchanges, build friendships with local families and community members who visit the work site each day, and spend afternoons unwinding with your group at the beach. During your stay in your host community, you will take several multi-day excursions to explore other areas of central Vietnam such as Ly Son Island and Hoi An.
Hoi An — 2 days
Take a break from your service projects and travel by private bus to Hoi An, a small, historic city on Vietnam’s coast, famous for its ornate Chinese temples, wandering canals, and world-class tailors who can make clothes to order overnight. Explore the area’s lively evening markets and participate in a Vietnamese cooking class with your group.
Hanoi & Halong Bay — 5 days
Fly from central Vietnam to Hanoi, the capital city, and explore the fascinating Old Quarter with its narrow streets, endless shops, and night markets. Take a stroll along Hoan Kiem Lake, visit the tranquil Tran Quoc Pagoda, and wander the grounds of the Temple of Literature, a Confucian temple that was the site of the country’s first national university. End your program with a two-night, three-day private cruise in Halong Bay where you will have opportunities to explore sea caves and floating fishing communities, and go for a kayak ride or a swim in hidden bays abutting stark, limestone cliffs.
Return — Travel Day
Fly with your group and a leader from Hanoi to Los Angeles, then continue on to your final destination. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Featured
Program Leaders
Meet some of our featured leaders. Please note that these may not be your leaders for the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review specific program questions here. For more general information, visit our full FAQ:
What are the main focuses of this program?
The focus of Putney’s Service Vietnam program is learning about another culture by forming meaningful relationships with local people and undertaking a shared community service experience together. Students on the Vietnam program collaborate with the local community to build “compassion houses” for families in need, with additional opportunities to teach English and participate in environmental initiatives, all while building authentic relationships with our Vietnamese hosts. Beyond the service experience, students discover Vietnam's rich history, cuisine, and traditions through time in Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Hanoi, and the breathtaking waters of Ha Long Bay. Together, these experiences foster cross-cultural understanding, global perspective, and a deeper appreciation for Vietnam's resilience, culture, and remarkable natural beauty. Students should come to the summer with an open-mind, an eagerness to participate in new experiences, and interest in exploring another culture and way of life. Everyone participates in all of the group’s projects on a rotating basis, and lends a hand in meal preparation and cleanup. To learn more about our Service programs click here.
What types of service projects do students participate in on this program?
Each year, students on our Service Vietnam programs help to build “compassion houses” for families in need who are selected by the local community. In addition to building these houses, which is the main construction service project, students can expect to work on various side projects depending on the needs of the community, such as teaching English to local students , or participating in a beach or harbor clean-up.
What is the technology and cell phone policy?
To encourage full engagement and immersion in the Putney Student Travel experience, we limit the use of cell phones and other devices on our High School programs. Students are allowed to use their phones in transit to and from the program. During in-country orientation, leaders facilitate a call home, then collect and securely store all phones for the first half of the program. At the end of this tech-free period, leaders return student phones for the second half of the program. During the tech-free portion of the program, students have the opportunity for a weekly call home according to a pre-arranged schedule. For more details, please see our FAQ.
How many service hours can students expect to receive?
Students on our Vietnam service program can expect to participate in 60–80 community service hours. Students receive a digital service certificate after the program that confirms their participation. The certificate will specify the exact number of hours completed, based on our host community’s identified projects for the group.
Will students have the opportunity to practice the local language?
Vietnamese is the main language of Vietnam, although there are over 110 recognized dialects spoken throughout the country. While some adults and students are proficient in English, many in our host communities speak only Vietnamese. Creativity, enthusiasm, and positive energy help to span the language divide.
What is an Independent Project?
All students on Putney programs pursue an independent project as a way to more deeply engage with aspects of local culture that are of particular interest to them—in Vietnam, you might learn how to make a favorite Vietnamese dish, organize a sports tournament with your local contacts, or interview community members about the history of the community.
How physically active is this program?
This is a physically active high school summer travel program. The service work and afternoon activities can be strenuous and you can expect to spend most of each day outside engaging in physical construction labor, biking, swimming, or walking. You do not need to be at peak fitness to participate, but it is important that you have a desire to be physically active, and that you are excited about trying all activities. You must be comfortable riding a bicycle to participate in this program—the group’s daily commute to work sites is by bicycle.
What are the accommodations for this program?
Accommodations on our Service Vietnam program are varied, ranging from simple guesthouses in our host community to large hotels and private boat cabins on our weekend excursions. Leaders reside together with the students throughout the program.
What are meals like in Vietnam?
We start each day with a simple breakfast at the guesthouse. Lunch is usually the main meal, prepared near work sites by locals and shared family-style. On trips, we eat at accommodations or small restaurants with dishes like pho, banh mi, vegetables, tofu, eggs, fries, and fruit.
What type of student is most successful on this program?
Putney’s Service Vietnam program is designed for high school students (grades 9–12) who are open-minded, adaptable, and eager to engage with people from different backgrounds. This service program is an excellent fit for students who enjoy hands-on, construction-based service, are curious about history and culture, and are excited to experience both bustling cities and rural communities. No construction or travel experience is required—students who approach new challenges with humility, a strong work ethic, and a willingness to connect with local families and fellow travelers will find the experience especially rewarding.
What makes Vietnam a good location for a Putney Student Travel program?
Putney has a decades-long history of programs in Vietnam, and our longstanding relationships there ensure that the service is meaningful and intentional, and that the experience fosters real cultural exchange. Students can meaningfully contribute through community service while gaining firsthand insight into a country that has undergone remarkable social and economic transformation in recent decades. From the bustling streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to the lantern-lit town of Hoi An and the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam provides countless opportunities to explore history, build cross-cultural understanding, and experience daily life in a way that goes far beyond traditional tourism. Its mix of bustling cities, rural villages, and active development projects creates an environment where students can learn how local organizations address challenges like education and infrastructure while building relationships through daily interaction and travel.
How does the Vietnam program compare to Putney’s other Service programs?
Our high school Service Vietnam program offers a particularly direct view of development work in action, as the ongoing service project each year is to build “compassion houses” for local families who are selected by the community. In addition to this immediate, hands-on construction work, our Vietnam program is designed to engage with the country’s past in order to build historical perspective. Through cultural interaction and travel through diverse regions, the program deepens student understanding of the country’s social and cultural landscape.
Do students need prior experience or specific skills to join this program?
You must be comfortable riding a bicycle to participate in our Vietnam service program, as this is the group’s main mode of transport to our work sites each day. Aside from this, students need only come with an open mind, a willingness to try new things, and the ability to participate positively in a supportive, small-group environment. No construction or labor experience is required.
What outcomes, skills, or growth can students expect to gain from this experience?
Students return from our Vietnam program with greater confidence, adaptability, and a broader global perspective gained through meaningful service and authentic cultural exchange. Working alongside local communities helps students strengthen their teamwork, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills, while developing a deeper appreciation for collaboration across cultures. By exploring Vietnam's history, traditions, and rapidly changing society, students also gain a more nuanced understanding of global issues and cultural resilience. Students leave with lasting friendships, increased independence, and a stronger sense of empathy, curiosity, and confidence in navigating unfamiliar environments.
A Day in the Life: Host Community
Due to the traveling nature of this summer program abroad, each day is different. Here is a snapshot of a day in our host community.
- Morning
7:00am
Enjoy breakfast before biking from your guesthouse to the work site as a group
8:00am
Mix cement, dig foundations, and lay bricks for the houses you are helping to construct
11:00am
Break for lunch at a nearby community member’s house
- Afternoon
1:00pm
Take some downtime to learn elementary Vietnamese with your hosts
2:00pm
Continue service work alongside the construction crew
5:00pm
Bike back to your guesthouse, stopping to take a dip in the ocean and unwind with your group
- Evening
7:00pm
Share dinner with your group at the guesthouse
9:00pm
Group meeting to discuss the day and the upcoming schedule
“Oli came home with a deep appreciation of Vietnamese culture and the history of American aggression in the country. He worked hard, was a team player, and built strong relationships.”
—Jessica Oski, Burlington, VT
