Excursions:
For LanguageCorps, excursions are not just a leisure activity - they are an integral part of developing a true understanding of the character and beauty of your host country and its surrounding area. We balance the intensive classroom work and practice teaching with a series of excursions that occur throughout your training and your time in Vietnam.
Most LanguageCorps programs offered in Vietnam include an initial welcome tour of Phnom Penh during your arrival weekend. All programs include a 3-day excursion to Angkor Wat in Cambodia following the first week of the program. This has been our most popular excursion by far - wander through ruins of the largest religious building area in the world where temples range in condition from moderately restored to jungle encrusted. The excursion includes time for a visit to a near-by waterfall to cool off, relax and enjoy. This trip creates memories that will be treasured forever! A second weekend excursion is included to the beautiful beaches of Sihanoukville in Cambodia. Here you will have a chance to relax, swim, and enjoy some good food.
In addition, approximately once a month, excursions in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia are arranged for LanguageCorps teachers who wish to participate. Some of the trips currently offered include:
- Scuba diving in Ranong, Thailand
- Rocket festival and kayak trip in Laos
- Hanoi, Hai Long Bay, and the mountain village of Sapa, in Vietnam
- Sihanoukville Beach in Cambodia
- Flower festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Nha Trang beach and boat trip in Vietnam
Costs vary by excursion. This is a great way to travel and spend time with people you either met during the training, or other LanguageCorps participants working in different Asian countries. 2-3 excursions (depending upon the trips chosen) are included for Flagship Program participants.
Things to See & Do in and around HCMC:
The Vietnam (American) War is a topic that still fascinates foreigners, and many of Ho Chi Minh City's tourist attractions focus on this interest. In central Saigon, the most intriguing sites for war buffs include the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace.
If you'd rather pursue the topic of religion, be sure to check out the Giac Lam Pagoda, Jade Emperor Pagoda and Vinh Nghiem Pagoda. A day-long excursion to Tay Ninh is required to visit the incredible Caodai Great Temple. Another worthwhile excursion is to the One Pillar Pagoda.
Boat trips on the Saigon River are always a great way to take refuge from the urban pandemonium. Further afield, beach buffs are sure to appreciate either beauty of Mui Ne or the tranquility of Phu Quoc.
There are lots of day trip opportunities and fun things to do near Ho Chi Minh City. If you like waterparks, the city suburbs boast three! History buffs might enjoy the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Viet Cong's secret underground supply houses and passageways. Visitors can tour the tunnels, the war history museum and even get to fire M-16s or AK-47s. Can Gio, an island located where the Saigon River meets the sea, boasts a beach, a mangrove park with plenty of monkeys, as well as a market and temple.