Echoes of the Past, Seeds of the Future: Sustainable Travel in Central Vietnam

The program

A journey through Central Vietnam, where history, culture and sustainability meet. The program follows the region's transformation, from its historical roots to a model for sustainable living, in Đà Nẵng and Hội An, and shows how local communities lead initiatives in nature regeneration, community building and sustainable livelihoods.

Participants follow the story of Đà Nẵng and how it became a livable city, on a guided walk through its landmarks. They learn about the cultural heritage of the Cơ Tu people, their forest conservation and their traditional crafts, and meet community-led initiatives in sustainable farming and tourism that preserve culture and the environment.

The program shows the power of community-based solutions: social enterprises and projects, from organic farming and inclusive restaurants to cultural preservation and community learning tourism, and the difference they make in the lives of local people.

Objectives

• Exploring Vietnamese culture, history and food.
• Understanding community-engaged learning tourism and regenerative tourism.
• Establishing meaningful relationship and connection with local community.

Day by day

Day 2Đà Nẵng's story: from colonial legacy to the most livable city

Morning

• 07:00–09:00 Breakfast
• 09:00–11:30 A walking tour of Đà Nẵng: from French colonization to the most livable city in Vietnam
• 11:30–13:00 Lunch: Vietnamese rolls

Afternoon

• 13:00–17:00 The Sơn Trà peninsula
  • A presentation on the ecosystem and nature of Sơn Trà at a nature education center
  • Panoramic views from Vọng Cảnh hill or Bàn Cờ peak
  • Looking for the endangered douc langur
• 17:00–18:30 Dinner at a restaurant whose team is deaf and speech-impaired

Evening

• 19:00–21:00 Free time in Đà Nẵng

Day 3Community-engaged learning tourism: protecting the forest, sustaining water sources, preserving culture and supporting livelihoods

Morning

• 06:00–07:30 Breakfast
• 07:30–09:00 Check-out and travel to Hòa Bắc
• 09:00–11:45 The culture of the Cơ Tu people and their forest conservation story: "the forest is the lifeblood of the Cơ Tu people"
  • A walk through daily life in Giàn Bí village
  • The Thousand-Year Rock Beach (Vũng Bột), and the collective work to protect the niên fish and the forest
  • The traditional way of life and crafts of Tà Lang village
  • Brocade weaving, from the weaving itself to the stories behind each fabric
  • The Gươl communal house: local stories of Cơ Tu culture, the tung tung da dá dance and the bamboo pole dance, and a cultural exchange
• 11:45–12:45 Lunch

Afternoon

• 12:45–14:00 The ecological farming cooperative of Hòa Bắc and its community learning tourism: how local initiatives protect the forest to sustain water sources, drive cultural and forest regeneration and support sustainable livelihoods, and how the communities use asset-based community development to build on their own strengths and resources
• 14:00–15:30 Cycling to the sugarcane fields: the harvest, pressing and tasting fresh juice, and the farming stories of the people of An Định

Evening

• 15:30–19:00 Check in at a campsite in Hòa Bắc and rest
• 19:00–21:00 A campfire barbecue under the night sky, with stories, a cultural exchange and time to connect

Day 4Vietnam's challenges, and local initiatives toward a regenerative and well-being future

Morning

• 06:00–08:30 Breakfast
• 08:30–11:30 Travel to Hội An
• 11:30–12:30 Lunch with the cooperative in Cẩm Kim

Afternoon

• 12:30–16:00 River-versity: life, people and livelihoods in Cẩm Kim
  • Tiền Hiền temple, a historical and cultural relic
  • A boat trip along the Thu Bồn river, with stories of the river and of the Cù Lao Chàm Biosphere Reserve from local researchers and residents
  • Traditional craftsmanship at Kim Bồng wood village
  • A workshop that builds wooden boats and basket boats
• 16:00–19:00 Free time in Hội An

Evening

• 19:00–20:30 Back to Đà Nẵng
• 21:00 To the airport for the flight home

Where the group stays

A hotel in Đà Nẵng designed as a living picture of a traditional coastal fishing village, with a warm swimming pool shaped like a natural stream between limestone rocks, and boat-shaped bathtubs in the rooms.

A campsite in Nam Yên village, Hòa Bắc, on the edge of Đà Nẵng: quiet and peaceful, surrounded by mountains and forest.

Hosts and places

A biodiversity conservation center in Đà Nẵng whose researchers protect ecosystems and endangered wildlife in the Central Highlands and on the central coast, and run education programs that encourage communities to protect the environment and use natural resources sustainably.

A union of cooperatives in Hòa Bắc that offers community tourism: learning programs, Cơ Tu crafts (weaving, basketry, organic farming, tung tung da dá performances) and food. Its aim is to connect resources to preserve Cơ Tu culture, develop organic farming, protect the forest and create sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

A farming and ecotourism cooperative in Cẩm Kim, Hội An, built on asset-based community development: villagers share their own skills and resources with visitors through hands-on farming, traditional crafts and eco-friendly tours. The cooperative encourages local people to share their traditions and stories, and promotes sustainable farming that helps conserve the local ecosystem.

A restaurant in Đà Nẵng whose Vietnamese food is prepared and served by a team of deaf and speech-impaired people.