Cultural Heritage & Traditional Arts
Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
14 Days / 13 Nights
Explore Vietnamese water puppetry, silk weaving, calligraphy, and folk music to understand the country’s rich artistic heritage.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of this program, students will:
1. Understand the historical and cultural significance of Vietnam’s traditional arts.
2. Learn and practice Vietnamese artistic forms such as water puppetry, silk weaving, and calligraphy.
3. Analyze how culture and art preserve national identity and values.
4. Develop cross-cultural appreciation through direct engagement with local artisans.
5. Create their own piece of traditional-inspired artwork.
By the end of this program, students will:
1. Understand the historical and cultural significance of Vietnam’s traditional arts.
2. Learn and practice Vietnamese artistic forms such as water puppetry, silk weaving, and calligraphy.
3. Analyze how culture and art preserve national identity and values.
4. Develop cross-cultural appreciation through direct engagement with local artisans.
5. Create their own piece of traditional-inspired artwork.
Package Include:
Local accommodation or resort stay
Ground transportation
Meals (as per itinerary)
Professional facilitator or guide
Collaboration with a local university
Local expert speaker
Sightseeing excursions
All trip logistical arrangements
Packages Itinerary:
Day 1
Arrival in Hanoi & Cultural Briefing
- Airport pickup and check-in to accommodation
- Welcome dinner and orientation: Vietnamese cultural identity and traditions
- Evening stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake
Outcome: Students understand the tour goals and Vietnam cultural context.
Day 2
Introduction to Vietnamese Arts & History
- Visit Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and Fine Arts Museum
- Talk: Overview of Vietnam artistic and folk traditions
- Traditional water puppet show
- Meet a puppet master backstage for a Q&A session
Outcome: Students explore the roots of Vietnamese artistic expressions.
Day 3
Water Puppetry Workshop
- Full-day hands-on water puppetry workshop
- Learn puppet carving, painting, and performance techniques
- Group mini performance
Outcome: Students experience the collaborative, performative nature of
folk storytelling.
Day 4
Vietnamese Calligraphy & Temple Visit
- Visit the Temple of Literature
- Calligraphy lesson from a local master: history, meaning, and brushwork
- Create personal name calligraphy artworks
- Evening reflection session
Outcome: Students connect writing as art with cultural and spiritual values.
Day 5
Train to Hue: Imperial Heritage City
- Morning train through scenic countryside to Hue
- Orientation walk and street food tour in Hue
- Evening folk music show on a dragon boat along the Perfume River
Outcome: Students are introduced to central Vietnam musical heritage.
Day 6
Traditional Music & Performance Arts
- Workshop: Learn to play simple instruments used in nhã nhạc (royal court music)
- Visit to Hue Citadel and Royal Tombs
- Dialogue with local musicians about music, memory, and identity
Outcome: Students appreciate how music is used for storytelling and ritual.
Day 7
Traditional Paper Art & Lantern Making
- Visit a paper flower-making village
- Try traditional paper craft techniques
- Hands-on lantern making workshop
- Lantern lighting ceremony in the evening
Outcome: Students experience arts as part of festive traditions and
craftsmanship.
Day 8
Transfer to Hoi An: Living Museum of Culture
- Travel to Hoi An Ancient Town
- Walking heritage tour: architecture, temples, and cultural exchange sites
- Cultural scavenger hunt in Old Town
Outcome: Students discover Hoi Ans multicultural roots and artistic layers.
Day 9
Silk Weaving & Dyeing Workshop
- Visit a traditional silk village or museum
- Hands-on: weave a small piece and try natural dyeing
- Learn about sustainable textile production and its challenges
Outcome: Students understand textile art as part of Vietnamese identity
and economy.
Day 10
Vietnamese Cuisine as Cultural Art
- Guided market tour to explore ingredients and symbolism in food
- Cooking class with local chef
- Dialogue: How food reflects regional identity
Outcome: Students engage with culinary arts as a living form of cultural
heritage.
Day 11
Rural Folk Art Experience
- Travel to a nearby village (e.g., Thanh Ha Pottery or Tra Que Organic Village)
- Participate in a mural painting or pottery workshop
- Talk with artisans about tradition, adaptation, and youth involvement
Outcome: Students experience how rural arts are preserved and passed
down.
Day 12
Flight to Ho Chi Minh City
- Transfer and check-in
- Visit to Ao Dai Museum or Contemporary Art Space
- Reflection circle on north central south cultural differences
Outcome: Students connect diverse artistic traditions across regions.
Day 13
Final Creative Project & Exhibition
- Workshop: Reflective art journaling or mixed media project
- Students design a creative piece (poem, drawing, performance, or presentation)
- Sharing circle and closing exhibition
Outcome: Students synthesize their journey into personal and creative
expression.
Day 14
Departure
- Final debrief and farewell breakfast
- Airport transfer and departure
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