VIETNAM EXPLORED: A JOURNEY THROUGH ITS HISTORY AND CULTURE ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

March 9-22, 2025 – Hosted by Robert K. Brigham, Shirley Ecker Boskey Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College, and Monica Church P’23, Visual Artist

Dear Vassar alums and friends,

With its dramatic landscapes, fascinating history, epic food, and pulsating energy, Vietnam is the perfect travel destination. We invite you to join us March 9 – 22, 2025—the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War—as we explore Vietnam’s past and present in a remarkable tour of the country.

We begin in charming Hanoi, whose French architecture blends seamlessly with the serenity and timelessness of ancient pagodas and temples. Time in Hanoi allows you to take in the city’s colorful Old Quarter, its historical highlights, and its many museums. We will meet the people primarily responsible for Vietnam’s remarkable transformation into one of the most dynamic countries in Asia. We next fly to Hue, the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty and the national capital from 1802 to 1945. We will visit the Dai Noi Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City (UNESCO World Heritage sites), once the emperor’s home.

While in Hue, we will retrace my father’s footsteps as a US Marine Corps combat photographer during the 1968 Tet Offensive. A short drive takes us to Hoi An, another UNESCO World Heritage site, with its eclectic mix of merchant architecture showcasing old houses in French, Chinese, and Japanese styles all of which miraculously escaped the ravages of war. We conclude the trip in bustling Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a mix of old and new that makes the perfect bookend for the journey. We take a day trip into the Mekong Delta during our stay in Saigon, exploring the lower reaches of the Mekong River.

Private meetings with government officials, public health experts, NGOs, educators, entrepreneurs, diplomats, writers, and artists have been arranged exclusively for our group. We anticipate that interest in this well-paced, vibrant program will be strong. Contact Tina Patterson at Authentic Asia at (888) 263-4513 or tina@authenticasia.net to reserve your space today.

Cheers,

Robert K. Brigham, Shirley Ecker Boskey Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College

Monica Church P’23, Visual Artist

 

Meet Your Vassar Hosts

Robert K. Brigham, Shirley Ecker Boskey Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College

Robert. K. Brigham, Shirley Ecker Boskey Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College, joined the Vassar faculty in 1994. He is a specialist in the history of US foreign policy, particularly the Vietnam War. Brigham is the author or co-author of ten books on the war, among them Reckless: Henry Kissinger and the Tragedy of Vietnam (PublicAffairs, 2018) and Argument Without End: In Search of Answers to the Vietnam Tragedy (PublicAffairs, 1999), written with former secretary of defense, Robert S. McNamara and James G. Blight. Brigham’s latest book is This is a True War Story: An Adoptee’s Memoir (The University of Chicago Press).

Bob has been traveling to Vietnam since the 1980s, making more than fifty trips to the country in the last forty years.

Monica Church P’23, Visual Artist

Monica Church P’23, Visual Artist, is an artist working in painting, collage, printmaking, and photography. She first traveled to Vietnam in 1992 and has returned many times to photograph and collect materials. Monica’s award-winning series of collages, From the Streets of Hanoi, was exhibited widely and was on the cover of Vietnam Generation, and most recently discussed at the Ogden Museum as part of the 2023 Kolaj Fest in NOLA.

For more information visit Monica’s website: monicachurch.org and follow her on Instagram: @monicadchurch

 

Itinerary At a Glance:

Day 1. March 9. Depart the U.S. (Airfare is not included.)

Day 2. Arrival in Hanoi. Sofitel Metropole Hotel

Days 3 – 5. Hanoi.

Day 6. Flight to Hue. Azerai La Residence Hue

Day 7. Hue.

Day 8. Bus to Hoi An. Anantara Hoi An Resort

Day 9. Hoi An.

Days 10. Flight to Saigon. Hotel Des Arts Saigon

Day 11 – 13. Saigon.

Day 14. Departure day.

Trip Cost: $ 7,750 per person based on double occupancy

Single Room Supplement: $ 1,800

International airfare between the US and Saigon is not included. 

For additional information on this journey, please contact Tina Patterson at Authentic Asia at (888) 263-1170 or at tina@authenticasia.net.

To view the detailed trip brochure and registration information please click HERE.