Location
  • Vietnam
    • Ho Chi Minh City
Length
1 to 24 weeks

Program Details

Language
English
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse
Groups
Medium Group (16-30)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
300
Price Details
Fully hosted experience from only $300 for 1 week - this includes accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, orientation and 24/7 in-country support.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance Visa
May 01, 2024
May 27, 2025
54 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Trusted by 136,000+ volunteers, IVHQ offers the world's #1 rated volunteer programs in Vietnam and 50+ destinations worldwide.

For the past 6 years, we've won the "Top Volunteer Abroad Provider Award" from GoOverseas, so you can trust that you're in the safest hands with IVHQ in Vietnam.

Our affordable projects start from $18/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement and local support. Projects run year-round, with durations from 1-24 weeks. Choose from 5 projects, ranging from Special Needs Care to Teaching to Medical in the vibrant and bustling Ho Chi Minh City, known for its cultural landmarks and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Plus, you’ll stay with other like-minded, impact-focused travelers from around the world (private room options available).

With IVHQ’s superior pre-departure support services, you’ll gain exclusive access to your own Volunteer Travel Specialist, comprehensive preparation tools and volunteer training before you leave home.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Cheapest volunteer programs from $18/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement & local support.
  • Volunteer for 1-24 weeks, year round start dates most Mondays.
  • 15+ years experience & only B Corp certified volunteer travel organization.
  • Get free changes up to 14 days before you start with our flexible booking policy.
  • Affordable way to earn college credit - gain 5 credits for only US$500!

Popular Programs

Teaching English Project
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Medical Project
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Special Needs Care Project
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Food Outreach Project

Your role on this project is to provide assistance to a local ‘Soup Kitchen’ to enable them to provide over 500 lunches daily to people from various backgrounds including poor elderly, low-income earners, disabled, students and children. Poverty is still widespread throughout Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh has a large population of people who are unable to afford regular nutritional meals.

Program Reviews

4.96 Rating
based on 73 reviews
  • 5 rating 95.89%
  • 4 rating 4.11%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.75
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.9
  • Value 4.95
  • Safety 4.95
Showing 33 - 40 of 73 reviews
Default avatar
Smita
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Experience

I always wanted to do an international volunteer. I chose IVHQ because of the different programs that it offers in various countries. I volunteered with IVHQ in Vietnam in May 2019 for 1 week and it was such a good experience. You meet great people from all round the globe. The staffs were very supportive and always ready to help a hand. Even before you arrive, there is a proper coordination to ensure that everything goes on smoothly. I would highly recommend to choose IVHQ. They are professional :). You also have free time depending on which program you are doing. On the 1st day there is culture day/week and at night a warn welcoming dinner. The rooms that were provided were clean and neat. One suggestion maybe would be to improve the variety for vegetarian foods.

106 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Rachel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Wonderful experience!

I had a wonderful experience volunteering with IVHQ for the medical program in Ho Chi Minh City.

Pros: Incredible local team support, organized daily schedules, fun activities in the city, meaningful volunteer work, wonderful learning experience, hands on, made great friends

Cons: Accommodation wasn't very nice, a little dirty/messy, Ho Chi Minh is a busy busy city so be prepared for chaos, some days could be a little boring while working in the hospital, very very hot (thankfully the accommodation has AC so you can cool off in the evenings)

I would do the program again, definitely, and I did realize that the longer I stayed, the better it got. With an authentic program like this, it takes time to assimilate to the culture, the food, the hospital or whichever placement you are on, and once you're in the grove, you start to make connections and really enjoy your time! I highly recommend!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice is to go in with a patient* and open mind. It takes time to get comfortable and acclimate to a new place. I have traveled all over the world and it took me a bit of time to really fall in love with my placement. Everything in Vietnam was so new for me, especially when you're placed in a hospital. I think a 2-3 week placement is sufficient time for the program!
116 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Rachel, thanks so much for your recommendation. It's especially fantastic to read how supported you felt from our local team in Vietnam during your time with us and we really appreciate your contribution.
We continuously monitor what's happening on the ground in Vietnam, both on the projects and in regards to volunteer accomodation and food, so we will certainly review the accomodation cleanliness standards that you have flagged. We hope to have you travel with us again soon! ^Courteney - IVHQ Vietnam Program Manager

Default avatar
Nina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My returning trip to Vietnam

My returning trip to Vietnam was an amazing experience. As a prior volunteer, I was excited to work hands on with fellow volunteers and staff. The doctors and nurses were very friendly and happy to answer my questions. I learned more from the different departments of the hospital than last year. My volunteer friends were one of the main highlights of my IVHQ trip because we got to experience the culture and work together. Even though I was able to communicate to the doctors and patients in Vietnamese, I learned that laughter has no language barrier. Overall, I am thankful for another opportunity to volunteer with IVHQ! I would recommend this program for anyone interested in helping the community, learning new culture and meeting new people!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
The unfamiliar things I ate were snails and frog legs!
107 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Nina, thank you for your review! I'm so pleased you have had another wonderful experience volunteering with us and it sounds like you have made some friends for a lifetime. We would love to have you volunteer with IVHQ for a third time! Courteney - IVHQ Program Manager.

Default avatar
Kimberly
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

IVHQ- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Wow! IVHQ was an amazing program and they really prepared me for my time abroad. The programs were reasonably priced (unlike some of their competitors!) Everything was included as well, which definitely eased some of my worries before the trip. There were very clear instructions leading up to my trip and they were very receptive to feedback. The hosting program made sure everyday that we had no issues and they were more than happy to help us if there were. The staff was amazing as was the food and the total atmosphere. They took a scary experience (going on your own to a foreign country) and turned it into an
experience of a lifetime. I met a family there and it was very sad to end my trip but I can’t wait to go on more. I completely recommend this program as they really care about not only the volunteers but the countries in which they are located! Thank you IVHQ!

What was your funniest moment?
Ha! The funniest moment was trying to explain the difference to a local doctor (I volunteered in a hospital) the difference between a Wedgie and a Veggie as the doctor kept mixing the two up. Definitely a funny moment for the two of us and definitely very memorable!
115 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Kimberly! Thanks so much for your review. It sounds like you had an awesome time getting to know your host family. We can't wait to have you back and plan your next adventure! Kate - IVHQ Program Manager.

Default avatar
Andy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Medical Experience in Vietnam

Simply an amazing experience! I was only in Vietnam for two weeks, but I worked with so many amazing volunteers and staff members and saw so many beautiful areas in and around the city. The program coordinators here are amazing! Not only are they good at their jobs, providing safe, meaningful volunteer opportunities, but they also are great people to spend time with and get to know. I had high expectations coming into the program, but IVHQ and Green Lion still managed to exceed those expectations! I will definitely be traveling with them again in the future. :)

For the medical placement specifically, just come in with an open mind ready to observe. I learned a lot just from watching the doctors, nurses, and therapists. I even got to watch a couple of surgeries which were very interesting!

What would you improve about this program?
Maybe have some more optional group activities in the afternoons/evenings. Most of the time, volunteers just organize on their own, but it wouldn’t hurt to have some planned group outings.
112 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Andy, thanks for taking the time to provide an insight into your 2 week experience on the IVHQ Vietnam - HCMC program. It's great to hear you were able to see the beautiful sights of Ho Chi Minh City while also contributing to the local volunteer projects. I am stoked to hear your expectations were exceeded and that the local team welcomed you into their family with their amazing hospitality. We can't wait to have you back volunteering with IVHQ again some time. Sean - IVHQ Program Manager.

Default avatar
Bowen
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Loved it!!! Life time experience

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103 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Thanks for taking the time to provide this review Bowen! It's excellent to hear you were able to use the skills and knowledge you have gained from your studies on the IVHQ Vietnam Special Needs Care project - I am sure your efforts were greatly appreciated by the staff and students. We can't wait to have you back on another IVHQ program!!! Sean - IVHQ Program Manager.

Default avatar
Joy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Food Outreach, Vietnam

Overall, it was a pleasant experience. The local staff and my IVHQ support was great. The program itself Food Outreach did not met my expectations. The local team doesn't have its own budget for this project so they have partnered with another local organisation that is running a soup kitchen. We were there just to give them a hand on whatever it is, that was needed and mostly spent our time cleaning and scrubbing walls. All other programs I heard was good. The local team was very supportive though with everything. Food and accommodation was good. The coordinator and their manager was excellent and will do everything for you to help in whatever issues you might have. I shall surely do it again with them but maybe on a different program. Overall... good.

82 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Joy, thanks for your review and it's great to hear you meet like minded people on the IVHQ Vietnam program. We clearly mention in our project description on the website that volunteers will be placed at a local Soup Kitchen. Help is needed anyway for this placement, and I am sure it was greatly appreciated the volunteer work you did. Cleaning is a big part of the project, but I am sure you also got to help with plenty of food preparation and serving. We look forward to you joining your next IVHQ program. Sean - IVHQ Program Manager.

Default avatar
Lisa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I would recommend IVHQ to anyone looking to travel on a budget

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If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would stay for at least 3 weeks to make a bigger impact at your volunteer placement.
91 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Lisa, thank you for taking the time to provide this informative review. It's great to hear you were able to gain insight into the Vietnamese medical system which challenged you and provided lots of learnings. I am stoked to hear you were impressed by our wide range of destinations and projects, and we can't wait to have you back to volunteer again some time. Sean - IVHQ Program Manager.

Questions & Answers

For sure, all ages welcome, I volunteered with families, seniors, young adults and mature adults 😊