Volunteer Vietnam  |  Hanoi

Read how your fees are spent or compare our prices with other volunteer organisations.

View our prices in other volunteer locations's or combine your stay in Vietnam with stays in other locations as part of a combination stay.

What you receive

• Pick-up service from the airport
• Orientation upon arrival
• 24 hour support
• Accommodation
• Regular follow-up meetings
• Transportation between projects
• Beginner's Vietnamese language classes

Apart from our fees, you must pay for:

• Your transport to Nha Trang
• Vaccinations
• Travel and health insurance
• Food and other personal expenses

Our application process typically takes two or three weeks, but can be speeded up if there is a need for that. When we receive the initial application from you, we will send you our full application form.

(1) Complete the Initial Application Form:
The first stage of the application process is to fill out the brief initial application form. Upon receiving this we will send you the full application form.

(2) Complete the Full Application Form:
Fill out the application form. After receiving this we will assess your suitability and place you on one of our programs.

(3) Placement info:
We will return detailed placement information and an invoice. If you accept the placement you should pay the invoice and send us receipt of payment by email or fax.

(4) Program Fee:
The program fee should be paid to us at least 2 months before you are due to start your placement. However please be aware that we have a limited amount of placements, so placements will only be secured when we have received your payment.

(5) Communication:
Once you have made your traveling arrangements you should mail your time of arrival and the means of transportation and we will confirm pickup.

All of the projects are ongoing. Schools in Vietnam open on 5 September and close on 19 May the following year with a Tet holiday of 1 week sometime in January or February. Summer is from late May to early September but many children still go to school for summer classes, especially for English and computer lessons.

During your weekends off in Hanoi there is plenty to keep you amused. Heading into the main city you will find a plethora of tour agents and travel guides that can arrange two to three day tours to see one of the world’s natural wonders via an amazing genuine Vietnamese ‘junk’ boat cruise through the breath taking Halong Bay. They can also arrange a weekend trip North of Hanoi to the beautiful hill tribe villages of Sapa as well as organise trekking trips.

For those of us that like to take things a bit easier there are several markets, shops and galleries that you can browse around within the city, and for the culture vultures amongst us that appreciate a bit of history there’s lots to see in Hanoi. A few of the sites that we at Travel to Teach would recommend include the One Pillar Pagoda, which was built in 1049, the Temple of Literature and National University, the Museum of the Revolution, and a walk around the picturesque old town, just be careful of the motorbikes!

Food lovers will be in their element as there is plenty of Vietnamese cuisine to sample from as well as many western restaurants in the area. There are also an array of bars and little chairs on street corners where many locals and travelers meet to sit underneath the beautiful Hanoi sky and share a beer or two along with some light conversation.

Hanoi is blessed with four seasons; Winter (from November to February) is generally cool and dry, with temperatures between 10-15°C (59-68°F). Spring (from February to April) is warmer, but accompanied by a light drizzle and Summer (from May to September) is hot and sunny and from around 30-36°C (86-97°F). Autumn, which is from September to November, is usually sunny with often perfect weather from 24-26°C (75-78°F).

You must arrange a visa for Vietnam in advance from your local consulate or embassy. A one month single entry tourist visa costs from $43-48 (depending on processing time). Some embassy's will process the visa the same day. Visa's can be extended for another month in some towns. Please note that your visa is valid from the date printed and not from the date you enter the country.

See your doctor at least 4-6 weeks before your trip to allow time for immunizations to take effect. We principally do not advise on vaccinations but refer you to your local clinic.

Also visit the WHO's (World Health Organization) Travellers health information.

One of the conditions of entry onto our programs is that volunteers have travel insurance. Most importantly the insurance needs to include medical treatment and repatriation in case of unforeseen accidents or illnesses. Volunteers should purchase insurance independently and bring a copy of their insurance certificate with them for their local co-ordinator to check before starting their program. Read our terms and conditions.

You will get a Travel to Teach certificate stating the time and place you have been teaching.