VIETNAM/CAMBODIA PROJECT CLEAN WATER - An 18-Day Service Learning Program - ARCC Programs
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VIETNAM/CAMBODIA
PROJECT CLEAN WATER
An 18-Day Service Learning Program
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Construct and Install Bio-Sand Water Filters in Rural Cambodian
Villages
• Teach English to Primary School Students in Northern Cambodia
• Sail Turquoise Waters on a Traditional Junk boat in Vietnam’s
Famed Halong Bay
• Watch the Sun Rise over Ancient Angkor Wat, One of the Wonders
of the World
• Retrace the History of the Khmer Rouge Era in Phnom Penh
• Sample Delectable Phó in Hanoi’s Old Quarter
• Learn to Bargain in the Famous Siem Reap Night Market
• Float Down the Mighty Mekong on a Boat at Sunset
• 30 Hours Community Service
Spotlight Project: Project Clean Water
Despite an abundance of water in Cambodia, access to clean water sources are limited. Due to lack of infrastructure
development, nearly half the Cambodian population drinks water that is unsanitary. The results have been devastating
to public health. The spotlight project of our Vietnam and Cambodia service program is to use cement, sand, and
gravel to construct bio-sand water filters and then install these filters in the homes of rural community members
in Kampong Speu. These water filters provide clean drinking water to families and communities for up to 40 years
and are important to the development of Cambodia.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Day 1 Travel Days and Arrival in Phnom Penh
Participants are met by their leaders at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). After a warm
welcome and thorough introduction to ARCC, we board our flight to Cambodia. Upon landing in
Phnom Penh, we meet our local guides and are taken to our comfortable guesthouse near the Central
Market. We work off our jet lag by jumping right into our language and cultural orientation while
taking time to explore the fascinating city of Phnom Penh. Through games, team-building activities
and eating our first meal together, our adventure truly begins. We also introduce the role of “Leader
of the Day,” which is an essential component of every ARCC program.
Accommodations: Plane/ Hotel
Day 3 Phnom Penh Exploration
Today we continue our orientation to Cambodia and its history by venturing out along the famed
waterfront to explore the city and its Royal Palace, as well as visiting the infamous killing fields.
Adjusting to the hustle and bustle of a major Southeast Asian city, we visit a local food and souvenir
market and take in a sunset over the mighty Mekong.
Accommodations: Hotel
Day 4 Spotlight: Project Clean Water
Traveling into Cambodia’s countryside, we make our way to the Kampong Speu province where
we begin our service work with a local NGO on a clean water project. We use cement and natural
elements to construct bio-sand water filters, which we then install into local community homes.
With each filter that we complete, we feel a sense of purpose knowing that these filters will provide
families with clean water for up to 40 years. Working, eating and sleeping in the village community,
our days in Kampong Speu are rich in culture and community and allow us to settle into the laid-back
Cambodian lifestyle.
Accommodations: Village Guesthouse
Day 9 Siem Reap, Angkor Wat & English Teaching
Boarding an early bus to Siem Reap, we prepare for the wonder that awaits us: the world-renowned
Angkor Wat. Upon arrival in Siem Reap we spend two days volunteering at a small school outside of
the city, assisting in an education project for local children. At night we try our hand at bartering in
Siem Reap’s famous night market, taking time to pick up some Cambodian souvenirs. We then head
to the famous Angkor Wat, taking in both a sunset and sunrise over this incredible site. We make
our way through the various temples, exploring age-old structures and soaking in the history of this
fascinating temple complex.
Accommodations: Small Hotel
Day 14 Halong Bay
Catching a flight to Hanoi, we look forward to an adventure in the gorgeous waters of Vietnam’s
most beautiful bay! We are welcomed by our local guides at the airport and, noting the differences
between Cambodia and Vietnam, we make our way to the coast where we board a junk, a traditional
Vietnamese boat, for a two-night excursion in Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where
families have lived in floating villages for hundreds of years. Surrounded by over three thousand
islands rising out of the emerald bay, we cool off in the glistening water before jumping into our
kayaks to explore majestic caves and uninhabited beaches. Sleeping on the deck of the junk, we have
our evening circle under the stars and soak up our last days together as a group.
Accommodations: Traditional Junk
Day 17 Hanoi
Leaving the turquoise waters behind, we head back to Hanoi where we spend our last day exploring the
narrow streets of the Old Quarter, sampling the Vietnamese staple soup, Phó, visiting local markets,
and snapping our final group photos. We spend our last evening in Southeast Asia celebrating our
program, reflecting on the memories that we have made and the lessons we have learned. We enjoy
a delicious final feast of Vietnamese cuisine and perform our program closing ceremonies with our
new travel family.
Accommodations: Small Hotel
Day 18 Departure
Eventually, all good things must come to an end. We say goodbye to Southeast Asia and begin our
journey back across the Pacific. Once we arrive in Los Angeles, we get everyone to their connecting
flights home. The memories of our experience and our new friends carry us through to next summer!
Want to Learn More? Contact the Regional Director:
Clarcie Howell | Regional Director: Vietnam/Cambodia
Clarcie@arccprograms.com
415-332-5075 Ext. 260
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