Travel with us for a life-changing experience
Citizen diplomacy and building people-to-people ties is at the heart of PeaceTrees’ work. Profound personal loss, experienced by families on all sides of the war, inspired PeaceTrees’ founders to reach out to the Vietnamese people in the spirit of healing, trust, and understanding between Vietnamese and American citizens.
Our citizen diplomacy trips reach beyond simplistic views and provide an opportunity for people to experience Vietnam from a unique and rewarding perspective that is rarely offered. PeaceTrees’ ambassadors make personal connections with our Vietnamese partners by working alongside them, sharing meals, planting trees, and making lasting friendships. The experience fosters space for mutual understanding, shared learning, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. Even more, it provides an opportunity to learn about diplomatic relations, engage in the organization's war legacy work, meet our in-country partners, and experience the country and its culture in a meaningful way.
Citizen diplomacy has made it possible to create the strong trust and partnership PeaceTrees shares with local communities and Vietnamese leadership. This trust allows us to facilitate genuine opportunities for connection and provides a new perspective on U.S.-Vietnamese relations.
We invite anyone who is interested in becoming a citizen diplomat to reach out to us. We especially welcome people who have been directly and indirectly impacted by the US-Vietnam War. This includes but is not limited to refugees, immigrants, veterans, and descendants of those affected by the war. Please contact kimberly@peacetreesvietnam.org or call 206-441-6136.
Sample itinerary:
Our trips include several days in central Vietnam, visiting PeaceTrees projects and observing Explosive Ordnance Technicians in the field. Trips also provide an opportunity to explore Vietnam, including its scooter-filled cities, gracious old towns, beautiful beaches, and sobering battlefields. Cost for the trip varies depending on airfare and the number of participating travelers.
A typical trip might include:
Day 1: Depart Seattle
Day 2: Arrive late to Hà Nội
Days 3-4: Orientation briefing, visit with Hà Nội-based PeaceTrees Vietnam Partners; sightseeing in Hà Nội including Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the Temple of Literature (Vietnam’s first national university built in 1070), Museum of Ethnology, the Old Quarter, and other points of interest.
Day 5: Travel to Huế, the seat of Nguyễn Dynasty emperors and the national capital from 1802 to 1945.
Days 6-10: Days of engagement with PeaceTrees Vietnam’s work, visiting kindergartens and libraries, observing our explosive ordnance disposal teams in the field, and community service and tree planting activities will be balanced with opportunities to learn about Quảng Trị Province as it is today as well as before, during, and after the war. Area excursions include the Vĩnh Mốc Tunnels, Cửa Tùng beach, Bến Hải river, Khe Sanh, etc.
Days 11-12: Excursion to Đà Nẵng with visit to Hội An. Participate in a cooking class.
Day 13: Depart for Hồ Chí Minh City, and visit points of interest including the War Remnants Museum and Independence Palace. Farewell dinner.
Day 14: Depart for U.S. or extend travel
