Study tours in Vietnam has been more and more porpular recently.

The most porpular activities in my friends’ study tours are study Vietnamese language, culture and visits to historical destinations.

The explorations include: 

Hanoi, the first capital of Vietnam, a city of tree-lined boulevards, faded yet stately colonial buildings and centuries-old Chinese temples.

Halong Bay, an awe-inspiring sea-scape of craggy island mountains topped with thick jungle vegetation – just one of four UNESCO-designated sites that feature on our tour.

Hué as the capital of a unified Vietnam

Hoi An, the focus of Vietnam’s commercial activity from the 15th century onwards

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, the economic center of Vietnam

Cu Chi Tunnels, represent the epitome of Vietnamese ingenuity during the war with America.

Kate Pham

Vietnamese (tiếng Việt, or less commonly Việt ngữ^[2]), formerly known under French colonization as Annamese (see Annam), is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of the Vietnamese people (người Việt or người Kinh), who constitute 86% of Vietnam’s population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese, most of whom live in the United States. It is also spoken as a second language by some ethnic minorities of Vietnam. It is part of the Austroasiatic language family, of which it has the most speakers by a significant margin (several times larger than the other Austroasiatic languages put together). Much vocabulary has been borrowed from Chinese, especially words that denote abstract ideas in the same way European languages borrow from Latin and Greek, and it was formerly written using the Chinese writing system, albeit in a modified format and was pronounced in the Vietnamese way. The Vietnamese writing system in use today is an adapted version of the Latin alphabet, with additional diacritics for tones and certain letters.

Vietnamese is the official language in Vietnam and is spoken by about 82 million people living in Vietnam and oversea.

The Vietnamese alphabet has the following 29 letters, in collating order:

Majuscule Forms (also called uppercase or capital letters)
A	Ă	Â	B	C	D	Đ	E	Ê	G	H	I	K	L	M	N	O	Ô	Ơ	P	Q	R	S	T	U	Ư	V	X	Y
Minuscule Forms (also called lowercase or small letters)
a	ă	â	b	c	d	đ	e	ê	g	h	i	k	l	m	n	o	ô	ơ	p	q	r	s	t	u	ư	v	x	y

Vietnamese also uses the ten digraphs and one trigraph below.

CH, GH, GI, KH, NG, NGH, NH, PH, QU, TH, TR

These groups were formerly considered single letters and are treated as such in older dictionaries. They are no longer considered single letters for collation and similar purposes; so, for example, CH will be collated between CA and CO in modern dictionaries.

The letters F, J, W and Z are not part of the Vietnamese alphabet, but are used in foreign loanwords. W is sometimes used in place of Ư in abbreviations. In informal writing, W, F, and J are sometimes used as shorthands for QU, PH, and GI, respectively.

Vietnam is blessed with a coastline stretching 3,000 kilometers with hundreds of beaches up and down the country that cater to all tastes; from white sand beaches where you can view sunsets, to beaches with 5 star facilities, and beaches with nothing at all to do except swim, relax and enjoy the local culture.

Starting in the Far North, bordering China is  Tra Co, not a beautiful beach by anyone’s standards what with its muddy flats at low tide; but it’s a pleasant place to stay if you’re on your way into our out of China, before heading to  Halong Bay.

Bai Chay beach is the nearest to Hanoi, so it draws a huge crowd of people on the weekends and in summer. It too doesn’t live up to the beauty of the southern beaches, but does serve up some good seafood harvested from nearby Halong Bay. It certainly isn’t a place to come in winter as temperatures can drop to the 15 degree C mark.

Halong Bay offers plenty of small beaches, most of them on islands in the middle of the Bay (though the majority of islands are too steep and rocky to have beaches).These are best visited by kayak because large touring boats don’t have the shallow depth to approach the rocky shore.

The  North Central Coast of Vietnam stretches all the way down to the Hai Van Pass, and is almost a continuous stretch of golden sand pounded by huge waves churned by the frequent typhoons. Its an area rarely visited by travelers, because most either fly or take the train straight between Hue and Hanoi, but if you’ve got time they are beautifully deserted and make excellent places to go for long walks. Locals will regard you with great curiosity, and may even follow you to practice their English.

Though the facilities are scarce here, (you won’t find restaurants selling to tourists just yet) it is a rewarding break from the long drive on Highway 1. Take note however, that its not a wise idea to walk any of the beaches near the DMZ and Dong Ha, because of mines, unexploded ordinances can still be found in this area.

The Central and South Central Coast of Vietnam offers the countries best beaches: from Hue to Nha Trang, the miles of coast is populated with coconut palms and dotted with fishing villages with lots of facilities and choices to make your vacation comfortable. 

My Khe beach to Vietnamese, or  China Beach to foreigners, looks out at Monkey Mountain east of Danang Bay. It’s by no means deserted, because locals use the beach as a place to play football, do morning exercises and just chat away with friends. It has some of Vietnam’s best surf beaches and in November waves can reach two meters.

Its here where 5 star resorts like the Furama and the  Lang Co resort (north of the Hai Van Pass) are situated and offer the best services in the country including al fresco dining, water sports and day tours.

The beach is also incorrectly linked with the first landing of American Marines in 1963. In fact, it was  Red Beach, around the point in Danang Bay, where this took place. My Khe was the spot where numerous attacks took place in the American war and it was a center of fierce fighting in the late 1960’s.

From Danang, the lazy coastline stretches all the way down to  Nha Trang. Dozens of beaches, many of them just a few meters from Highway I can be visited as you drive south. Facilities are mushrooming up to meet the demand of the numerous tour buses that now ply these routes. Seafood restaurants, guesthouses and other businesses are making this area easier to visit.

Nha Trang is the epicenter of the beach travel industry in Vietnam, and if you’re looking for a secluded beach, you won’t find it here. But if you want to enjoy a day trip out to the islands in Nha Trang Bay, where you can snorkel and swim, then Nha Trang is the place for you. One of the best things in the city is its marvelous seafood, which includes abalone, prawns, scallops and crabs.

Doc Let is 40 kilometers north of Nha Trang, and its here where you’ll find solitude and long deserted beaches; the shallow bay in front is perfect for a swim and the place is famous for its boiled crabs.

Even further south is  Phan Thiet and  Mui Ne, close enough to Saigon to be a popular weekend outing destination for residents there. Its got a laid back feels, and includes 4 star hotels like the Nototel Corallia, so roughing it isn’t required here.

Even closer to Saigon is  Vung Tau, and serves much the same function as Bai Chay near Hanoi; it’s the closest and cheapest destination for Saigonese to escape the crowded city streets. Again, if you’re looking for solitude, this isn’t the place, because on Sundays the beaches are packed.

Phu Quoc has the whitest sand beaches in the country, and if you want to watch the sun set (it’s the only place in Vietnam where you can do this) this is the place to come. Geologically, it’s totally different to the other beaches in Vietnam, because it’s in the Gulf of Thailand, and Phu Quoc closely resembles Koh Chang or Koh Samet near Bangkok. Just an hour flight from Saigon and you’ll be enjoying the sun, sea and seafood of Vietnam’s most southern beach.

North to South, there are a multitude of choices in beaches so whatever kind of beach you are looking for you’ll find it in Vietnam

Kate Pham

In Vietnam, as you may well know, rice is very popular. Rice is eaten in all imaginable forms. Rice noodle, white rice, rice liquor, rice deserts, … rice everywhere. Although rice is mainly produced in the country’s two deltas, it is also produced in many other regions. As you can see in the picture, even on the high mountains. It had to be a titan’s work to cut the mountains in order to cultivate rice here. I saw rice terraces in many areas in Vietnam, but nowhere did they look as beautiful as here.

Kate Pham

Kate Pham

Let’s see

So Vietnam…what can I say…

It’s absolutely the most amazing place I have ever had the privilege of visiting. Now you all thought I liked China…well this place is now my favourite.
The China tour was so good because of the friends I made while there on top of the sights and experience, I have been very lucky to have made some good ones in Vietnam as well. However the one thing China didn’t have was beaches and sun. Vietnam just seemed to encompass everything I wanted to see, feel, learn and experience all in one.
The people here are so friendly; they will go to their wits end and beyond to help you. Its funny because if you see it here, you’ll be amazed at how the Western World lacks this, people in England will pass you on the street and scowl or ignore you, people here smile and wave. That’s a total stereotype I know but at the moment I don’t care! If we had this human interaction and respect at home it would be a far better place. That’s a bit philosophical I know (sorry, I know not everyone is like that but it just feels that way).
So Vietnam, I have been to Hanoi, Hue (ancient capital), Hoi An, Whale Island, Nang Trang, Saigon and a couple of other little places along the way, and I would have to say they are all fantastic.
Hanoi, when I arrived I met a couple from New Zealand, Claire and Jules (Julian) (a massive Mari guy), we walked around what is referred to as the Old Quarter. It’s brilliant, small windy roads and alleyways that lead everywhere. Its like navigating a maze (Tim if you ever have to map this just say no). There were few cars on the road; the city is a hive for mopeds. They are everywhere. So much so that’s its scary…the brilliant thing about Vietnam is that when you cross the road the bikes actually go around you. You just need to get the courage to start walking.
I met two Kiwis the second I arrived, called Claire and Jules…quality couple – Jules is a huge Mari guy (quite scary to start with), but we went for an explore…Its so cool. We stayed in the heart of the old quarter…bustling all around us. Shops or restaurants filled every little bit of space, with Hanoi Lake just to the south, a five-minute walk.
I walked around the lake and weaved in and out of the traffic like an ant in a crowd. Its even quite fun trying to cross the road…The food was excellent, a lot of seafood in Hanoi. I had Seabass in a local Jazz Restaurant across from our hotel and it cost less than $5, absolutely gorgeous.
Met up with some of the group the day after. Mainly my new friends Holly (yes there are nice ones) Gemma and Penny. Penny is Holly’s mum, Holly is a dancer who danced in the Moulin Rouge, and Gemma is Holly’s cousin and working for the company. Such quality girls, really down to earth, big drinkers and all round the nicest people in the world…They took me in as a stray and I soon became family.
We saw the Tomb of Ho-Chi, very much like Mao in Ti’anemen but Ho Chi actually looks real…One more to go and I have all 3 pickled corpses under my belt…Lenin here I come…..
Anyhow it’s really interesting, our tour leader Quan is Vietnamese, and the way he talks about this guy is fascinating. Ho-Chi, or Uncle Ho as we all now know him, is seen as by the Vietnamese as part of their family…he is virtually a saint, not only cos he defeated the Yanks and the Frogs, but he liberated Vietnam after hundreds of years of oppression. The Vietnamese unknown to me had a really in depth past, of Emperors and war. Something I had no clue about before I visited. Now Ho-Chi also lived as a common man, fighting for the people at all times, while being one of them. He never used the Presidential Palace, and had a little cabin on stilts where he worked and lived.
I did feel like I was being slightly indoctrinated by Quan, as I remember very little about Uncle Ho myself apart from the American side of things. But if he was everything they say, fair play to the man, he deserves the respect they give him.
Anyhow enough about pickled corpses, we were accosted by a group of school kids who wanted Holly’s autograph…one cheeky little one even asked for her phone number…cool kid. We went for local beers in the street, where you sit on a plastic stool in the middle of the road, we saw the temple of literature (the first university of Vietnam) Gemma and Penny were made to dance by the local music players…funny stuff. I have to say again that after about 4 meals in Hanoi I was amazed at the quality of food, it’s really good. The rest of the time was taken up by pottering around, chilling out and relaxing. We did the most surreal thing in the world…a water puppet show…Anyone even thinking about seeing this; it’s the biggest load of crap I have ever seen…Like seriously! The girls all fell asleep while Amanda (another lady on tour) and I wanted to slit our wrists. Horrible… no wonder it’s a dying art!
From here we met the rest of the group…Sophie and Flora 18 years old, Gap Year from London, Marcus and Katie…. Fantastic couple from Huddersfield, very friendly, great fun to be around and got engaged in Whale Island…. Kim 1, a trainee tour leader, Aussie. A lovely girl! Amanda – just retired and travelling the world, very sarcastic and funny. Kim 2 or the mood as she is renowned…one of the nicest girls I have met in a long while, great fun, easy to chat to, and all around brilliant sense of humour, Dave and Flick Aussie Man and Wife, very mature and interesting, Eva a German girl from Dusseldorf who sounds strangely American and last but not least Jonny and Georie, a very cute couple again on gap years from London 18 I believe. That’s it in a nutshell.
Then a sleeper train to Hue – ancient capital of Vietnam…. This was a 14-hour journey. I like Vietnam sleeper trains, much more comfortable than Chinese ones. We crossed the DMZ and 17th Parallel – the old border between North and South Vietnam, and watched the countryside flicker past. Its hard not to get overwhelmed with the beauty of this place, so traditional and quaint.
Hue – now Hue is a sore subject for many of the group, but I didn’t mind it…. Mainly cos our hotel had a pool, it was baking hot (I am referring to 35 degrees +), we had a brilliant night at a bar (the DMZ bar), great food and rode motorbikes. At the bar I made a new friend – a little field mouse called Fido kept popping up from the furniture to say hello. They are Geckos everywhere and Cockroaches are frequently visible. The reason many people didn’t take to it was because on day one where we had a LONG and I mean LONG day at a Palace remains. It was really boring, even for me who likes the history. Holly and I were devising a plan to fake an illness so we could go and use the pool! The weather was baking and we were all tired and grumpy. One person in particular! Kim (the mood) as I now refer to her as…She said…the mood is horrible and it went from there. She’s brilliant…classic line from her all the time. I just asked her randomly how the mood was and it went from Horrible, to sweaty, to festering, and so on…
We also took a cruise down the perfume river…didn’t smell that good to me…which was cool! Very relaxing even with a hangover! We saw the car the famous Monk who burnt himself to death in the streets of Saigon during the war…the Heat damages is still visible. And we also visited the Royal tombs that were cool, like a whole city for the dead. The highlight was the moped race back to the hotel…. Just see the pictures it was brilliant! One other notable occurrence was the spontaneous eating of Crepes with Ice Cream enroute home one night…gorgeous and we started to teach the owner rhyming slang.
From here it was onto Hoi An…..

From David

Vietnamese Language and Culture Club (VLC) is one among few Vietnamese clubs in Hanoi and in Vietnam. VLC, as its name suggests, is the place where Vietnamese learners and foreigners can meet, practice the Vietnamese language, exchange experiences in learning Vietnamese as well as discover the Hanoi culture and Vietnam culture. Members of VLC can take part in various activities, all helpful and interesting, without any fee!

Kate Pham

There are numerous courses offered in Vietnam, and you can choose:

• English language courses
• Vietnamese language courses
• Bachelor and Master courses
• Summer/Winter courses
• Study tour programs
• Exchange programs
• Volunteer programs
• Foreign language teaching

and much more…

Have you got an idea of other course?

Kate Pham

If you start thinking about coming to Vietnam to study, this blog is the best place for you to start searching courses available in Vietnam. It’s time to add some excitement to your life and journey to a place where things are different from you home country and enjoy what Vietnam offer you.

Local and international educational institutions in Vietnam offer you various courses ranging from Bachelor to Master. The courses are offered in English or Vietnamese. Numerous courses are accredited regionally and internationally. Graduates from Vietnam are very successful in finding jobs relating to Vietnamese business. Vietnam is a traditional, safe and beautiful country and its people are so friendly. Life in Vietnam is cheap and easy. Vietnam offers a unique South East Asian experience for foreign students.

The below significant reasons would help you to make decision to study in Vietnam.

• Peaceful and safe country
• Cheap living cost
• Very low tuition fee
• Various courses offered in English and Vietnamese by local and international education providers
• Courses offered by international education institutions are accredited internationally
• Best place to study Vietnamese language
• Best place to join volunteer programs, study tours and language teaching programs

Kate Pham