April 30, 2025 marked the 50th anniversary of the reunification of North and South Vietnam—a moment of profound national pride commemorated with parades, fireworks, cultural festivals, and historical exhibitions across the country. Join us on this unforgettable journey as we delve into Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage, witness breathtaking landscapes, and gain a deeper understanding of the “American War” while visiting iconic destinations including Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Hoi An, Hanoi, and the Mekong Delta.

Our journey continues in Cambodia, where we’ll explore the awe-inspiring temple complex of Angkor Wat and conclude in the dynamic and historically rich capital of Phnom Penh.

Throughout the program, we’ll take part in exclusive meetings with a wide range of thought-provoking individuals—artists, historians, journalists, literary voices, human rights advocates, and local community leaders. This is a unique opportunity to explore the distinct histories, cultures, challenges, and hopes that define these two extraordinary nations. 

Highlights:

• Travel with long-time Nation contributor George Black and Vietnam expert Dr. Lorraine Paterson.
• Hear from Dr. Bui Tran Phuon, former president of Hoa Sen University to learn about Vietnam’s history with China. 
• Meet with Chuck Searcy,  an ex-American GI, who created Project Renew to clear munitions still around since the end of the war. 
• Learn about Cham culture from Kieu Maily, a researcher, artist, poet and writer and visit My Son, considered to be one of the most impressive Cham sites. 
• Immerse yourself in the ancient wonders of Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei, and the Bayon Temple.
• Explore colorful markets, sample delicious local cuisine, and experience the art and culture of two distinctly fascinating countries.
• Enjoy great company and stimulating conversation with like-minded travelers. 

Tour Hosts:

George Black is a New York City-based author and journalist specializing in international affairs and the environment. In his more than 40-year career as a journalist, he has written for a wide range of magazines, newspapers, and digital publications, and is the recipient of numerous awards. He began his career in television, working on documentaries on the wars in Central America for the BBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS),. He is a former columnist for the Los Angeles Times and was foreign editor of The Nation from 1986 to 1991. From 2004 to 2014 he was executive editor of OnEarth magazine, published by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a leading U.S. environmental organization. Since then his long-form investigative reporting has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The New Republic, The Nation, and other publications. Black is the author of eight books on a wide range of topics, including U.S. policy in Latin America, the democracy movement in China, and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, and is the author of “The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace and Redemption in Vietnam,” which you received as part of this tour. https://george-black.net

Dr. Lorraine Paterson received her doctorate from Yale University on Chinese and Vietnamese intellectual history and issues of translation. Her dissertation, “Tenacious Texts: Vietnam, China and Radical Cultural Intersections, 1890-1930,” analyzes cultural negotiation between Vietnam and China and its effect on Vietnamese cultural discourse. As a Luce Doctoral Fellow in Southeast Asian Studies, she conducted research at the Australian National University in 2004. Her MA thesis recentered modern Cambodian prose fiction by using postcolonial theory to help counterbalance French literary scholarship on the subject. Her research languages include Vietnamese, Cambodian [Khmer], Chinese, French, and Latin. Lorraine will be accompanying you throughout the tour. 

See the itinerary for complete details. Questions? Contact us via the form at the bottom of this page or call us at 212-209-5401.

100% of the proceeds from our travel programs support The Nation’s journalism.

The Nation purchases carbon offsets to mitigate the effects of our travel program on the environment.

Past Traveler Testimonials

Traveler Photos

Candid images from our journeys...

Traveler Reflections

Vietnam: Shaking Hands

I didn’t know quite what to expect in Vietnam. I think American visitors there rightly carry a lot of guilt about the war

By Teresa Stack