09/11/2025
From the Ashes of War to the Aspiration for a Fair, Regenerative, and Economically Thriving Future
⏰Date: 1st February - 10th February 2026 in Ho Chi Minh and the Central of Viam
🌱Description
Vietnam is a country that has endured a history both heroic and tragic, marked by profound pain and loss under colonial and feudal domination, as well as the long years of war and destruction.
The aspiration for peace, independence, and freedom has been a sacred flame nurturing the nation’s spirit for thousands of years. From the era of the Hung Kings to the present day, through countless struggles to defend its sovereignty, the Vietnamese people’s patriotism and resilience have remained the unbroken thread weaving through the nation’s history.
At noon on April 30, 1975, as the liberation flag waved atop the Independence Palace, Vietnam entered a new era — the day North and South were reunited, the nation whole once more. That victory not only ended a brutal chapter of war but also marked the beginning of national reconstruction — a living symbol of heroism, self-reliance, and the indomitable strength of unity.
Nearly half a century later, from the ashes of war, Vietnam has risen with remarkable vigor, asserting its presence on the global stage. As General Secretary Tô Lâm emphasized, the country is entering a “new era of rising” — an age of confidence, creativity, and deeper integration with the world.
However, progress always comes with its own set of challenges. Alongside remarkable economic growth, Vietnam now faces pressing socio-economic and environmental issues: an aging population, rapid urbanization, a declining birth rate (currently 1.91 children per woman — among the five lowest in Southeast Asia), as well as the growing threats of pollution and climate change. At the same time, traditional craft villages are fading, leading to the erosion of cultural identity — once the soul of many local communities.
Yet, amid these challenges lies another reality — one that reveals Vietnam’s deep resilience and creativity. Across the country, numerous organizations, social enterprises, artistic initiatives, and local communities are working tirelessly to preserve culture and nature through sustainable livelihoods. What makes these efforts remarkable is that they are entirely people-driven — rooted in solidarity and the effective mobilization of community and social resources. These stories of resilience and innovation invite a deeper reflection on what truly drives Vietnam’s transformation.
What, then, has enabled this nation — once struggling with immense postwar hardship — to rise as one of East Asia’s most dynamic emerging economies, while nurturing grassroots innovations and community-based solutions to navigate such complex challenges?
The program “From the Ashes of War to the Aspiration for a Fair, Regenerative, and Economically Thriving Future” was born to explore these very questions. Taking place from February 1–10, it offers a meaningful and immersive journey for participants to deeply engage with Vietnam’s society, culture, and people while seeking answers through field trips, workshops, expert talks, and dialogues with researchers, social innovators, local communities, and young changemakers.
It is also an opportunity to understand Vietnam’s contemporary identity — culturally and socioeconomically. Participants will encounter a modern Vietnam — a nation that has risen from the ruins of war more than half a century ago. They will meet organizations, entrepreneurs, artists, and communities who are working every day to build a beautiful, independent, and prosperous country.
🌱ITINERARY (SUBJECTIVE TO CHANGE)
Day 01: Welcome to Saigon & Stories of Saigon
- Arrival
- A walking tour: Saigon Sites and Stories - A Discovery Journey
Day 02: Reform, Resilience, and Rising: Vietnam’s Ongoing Transformation
- War Remnants Museum visit
- Workshop about Vietnam: How has Vietnam’s economy and politics been transforming in recent decades?
+ History of Vietnam’s economy
+ Causes, developments, and outcomes of the Đổi Mới reform + What is a socialist-oriented market economy? + Current political & economic system + Present socio-economic challenges & solutions + Pillars of the “era of rising”
[Optional]
+ Documentary screening: 50 Years of Forgetting
+ Documentary screening: Bolinao 52
Day 03: Flavors and Melodies Tell Vietnam’s Story
- Morning – Savoring Culture through Food
- Workshop: The Story of Vietnamese Coffee — from local beans to cultural identity
- Workshop: The Wet-Rice Civilization — exploring the roots of Vietnam’s agrarian culture through rice stories and tasting
Afternoon – Feeling the Rhythm of Tradition
- Immerse yourself in Đờn Ca Tài Tử, the poetic folk music that embodies the spirit of Southern Vietnam
Evening: Travel by train to Sa Huynh, Quang Ngai.
Day 04: Local Life in Salt Making Village
- Arrival at Sa Huynh, Quang Ngai
- Visit Tiền Hiền to learn about the salt-making process, the sustainability of the traditional Sa Huỳnh earthen salt production system, its ecosystem connected with biodiversity, its role in combating climate change, and the many benefits it brings to the environment, people, and the cultural life of the Sa Huỳnh salt-making community.
- Visit Salt marsh
- Mangrove planting activity – Learn about how planting mangrove trees helps restore the salt marsh ecosystem.
- Traditional performing arts: Enjoy traditional Sa Huynh folk melodies and learn about the cultural flow of the salt-making community through "Sac Bua" (a form of performing art associated with the Sa Huynh salt trade)
Day 05: Community-Engaged Learning Tourism: A Tool for Community Development, Sustainable Livelihoods, and Ecological–Cultural Regeneration
- Enjoy morning coffee and learn about the community library model of the Sa Huỳnh Community-based Tourism Cooperative.
- Visit a household that sorts trash, collects scraps, and has a vegetable garden.
- Visit the fishing port and learn about the marine ecosystem connected to the lives of the fishing community.
- Visit the Sahu production workshop to observe the post-harvest process.
- Travel to Hoi An
[Optional] Free to explore Hoi An old town
Day 06: River-versity: A Story of People, the River, Culture, and Sustainable Transformation
- Boat trip on the Thu Bồn River – observe its ecosystem, learn about traditional fishing, hear stories of river conservation
- Explore boat-building craft
- Visit Kim Bồng carpentry village, meet artisans, observe wood carving, create your own small product (keychain, name engraving), explore the link between carpentry and the river
- “Taste of Home” – making Quảng noodles: learn ingredients, process, and connections between rice farming, land, water, and people
- Enjoy the traditional folk music “Bài Chòi
Day 07: Explore Da Nang: From Colonization to the Most Livable City in Vietnam
- Travel to Da Nang
- Visit Marble Mountain
- Walking Tour Da Nang
- [Optional] Visit Da Nang Museum
Day 08: The Flow of Culture and Nature in Da Nang
Morning: Visit Nam O village
* Story of the land and sea: Learn how the formation of Nam Ô has influenced local livelihoods and traditions, especially the traditional fish sauce craft — a living heritage of coastal Vietnam.
- Visit Nam Ô Communal House: Explore the village’s spiritual and social roots — the place of community rituals, whale worship, and festivals celebrating life by the sea.
- Walk through Nam Ô forest and coastline: Observe the natural ecosystem, understand local beliefs about the sacred forest (rừng Phụng), and reflect on the impact of urbanization on the environment and local livelihoods.
- Traditional craft experience: Participate in making fish sauce — learning by doing to feel the dignity of labor and the deep link between people and nature.
- Dialogue with local people: Meet Mr. Bùi Thanh Phú and Mr. Ngọc Vinh from the Nam Ô Traditional Fish Sauce Association to hear stories of heritage, intergenerational continuity, and how local crafts adapt to modern life.
Afternoon:
- Visiting Nature Education Center (NEC), a unit under GreenViet, the first nature experiential education center in Da Nang, and is a space for community to visit and learn activities, serves as an interpretation center for information about the nature of Son Tra
- Watch the sunset on the Sơn Trà Peninsula.
Day 09: Harvesting Insights, Planting New Journeys
- Morning: Vcil Community and social movement in Vietnam
- Afternoon: Conclusion of the Learning Program & Reflection
Day 10: Departure
- Freetime to shopping
- Departure
-----
⌛ DURATION: 10 days: 1st February - 10th February 2026
🌿PROGRAM FEE
- Early bird: 700 USD
NOTE: Early bird registration is only applicable to the first 4 people who register and make at least 50% of the payment before 11pm, 20th November, 2025
- Regular registration: 1000 USD
* The fee above include:
- Accommodation and internal transportation within Vietnam region
- 3 meals per day
- Learning material & logistical preparation
- Designing program, facilitation and workshops
- Coordinating the learning program
*The fee above EXCLUDE:
- Rounded flights between your places to Vietnam
- Vietnam visa fee
- Travel insurance
* Financial aids:
- Installment plan (pay 50% deposit and the rest in the next 3-6 month)
- Up to 20% scholarship
Notice: The program only happen if we have at least 5 participants paying the full cost
🍂 For further inquiry, please contact us:
+ Whatsapp/Zalo: (+84) 918580257 (Trinh Thai) or 808293088 (Kunzang)
+ Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
![NƠI MƯA GẶP BIỂN: TÌM VỀ NHÀ Ở NAM Ô[English in the comment]Vào ngày 18 tháng 10 năm 2025, XomTour đã bắt đầu một hành t...](https://img3.travelagents10.com/252/013/1130341602520133.jpg)
