Brentwood SC - SoundBloom Music Fest 2027

Depart Melbourne on Vietnam Airlines, bound for Hanoi in Vietnam. GLE will assist with checking the group in for your flight.

Upon arrival in Hanoi and after clearing customs and collecting our luggage and musical instruments, we will meet our local Vietnamese tour guides who will be with us for our entire trip. Our coach will then transfer us to our hotel where we can freshen up after our flight.

Depending on flight schedules, there may be some time before dinner to do some sightseeing. After dinner, head back to the hotel for an early night.

Overnight: Hanoi

After an early breakfast this morning, we travel by coach to Ha Long Bay, a unique UNESCO world heritage site.

Upon arrival, embark at 12.00pm, on our overnight cruise of Ha Long Bay. Enjoy a delicious lunch along the way. The cruise will begin with a visit to the Cave of Surprise. Here we take an hour-long walking tour through the cave. Weather permitting; we can take a dip at Ti Top Beach or climb the stairway to the top of the hill for some stunning 360-degree views of Ha Long Bay.

Afterwards, head to our mooring point in the Bay for our overnight stay. Dinner will be served on board the cruise tonight.

After dinner we have free time to relax or sing some karaoke songs under the stars on the top deck of our cruise boat.

Overnight:  Cruise on Ha Long Bay

This morning breakfast will be served on board our cruise. For the early risers, there is an opportunity to join in some Yoga exercises at 6.00AM. Afterwards, depart to explore Luon Cave. Return to the Cruise after our visit to the cave and make our way back to port.

The return will continuously pass through the area where scenes from the famous film ‘Indochina’ was filmed. On our way we can see the famous islets such as Ti Top, Marker, Fire and Dove Islet.

After lunch on board, we will arrive at the Wharf at noon and then transfer by coach to Hanoi. On our return, we embark on a walking tour of the ’Old French Quarter’ which is steeped in Colonial French history.

Overnight:  Hanoi

Today we depart for the Vietnam National Academy of Music Concert Hall.  Here, we will have time to rehearse on the main stage.

This afternoon we take a walking tour to explore the beautiful tree lined boulevards and lakes of Hanoi. Take a tour around Hoan Kiem Lake and hear the legend of the giant Tortoise that supposedly lives in the lake.  Hanoi is also known for its blend of French, Chinese and Vietnamese architecture and you will visit many iconic buildings and streets, followed by a tour of Dong Xuan Market, the biggest wholesale market in the northern Vietnam, and Hanoi’s’ Old Quarter.  The Old Quarter is also a multitude of little shops in a labyrinth of streets going in all directions! Each street will sell a specific product. There is Gold Street, Silver Street, Shoe Street, Toy Street, and the list goes on! Practice your bargaining skills shopping for souvenirs!

Overnight:  Hanoi

After breakfast, embark on a day tour of Hanoi jammed packed with culture, history and all the iconic landmarks!

Visit the Uncle Ho’s resting place, the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda – all are must-see landmarks in Hanoi.

After lunch, then soak up the culture and history at the famous Temple of Literature, the first university of Vietnam dating back to the 17th century, the Ethnology Museum, the French Colonial Opera House, and the Hanoi Cathedral.

Tonight, will be the opening night of the SoundBloom Music Fest, which has been created for Australian High School music groups to attend and perform at over the next three days.  The Melbourne Youth Orchestra (MYO) will be the premier Orchestra at the Festival opening.  MYO will also be joined by the Vietnam National Academy of Music Orchestra during the evening.

Overnight:  Hanoi

After breakfast, travel to the Vietnam National Academy of Music Concert Hall for our first Concert Hall performance.  Performance times each day will be alternated between the schools so that all will have different opportunities during the three days.

There will also be time to take a break during the day when we are not in the audience or performing. This may be doing some music workshops or exploring Hanoi a little more. After dinner, we return to our hotel.

Overnight:  Hanoi

Today will be our second Vietnam National Academy of Music Concert Hall performance.

Again, there will be time to engage in some of the other activities when we are not at the concert hall. After dinner, return to our hotel.

Overnight: Hanoi

Today is our third and final performance at the Vietnam National Academy of Music Concert Hall.

As during the previous two days, there will be other activities arranged, depending on your performance times. Return to the hotel after dinner.

Overnight: Hanoi

After breakfast, our coach will depart from Hanoi and travel to a new area, known as Ocean Park 3. Ocean Park 3 is an enormous new housing development, with its centerpiece being a recreation of the city of Venice, complete with Canals and Gondolas.

Afterward we have a full city tour of the largest seaport in northern Vietnam, the old French Colonial city of Hai Phong.  Like Hanoi, it is a very old city and is steeped in its French Colonial past.  The stunning Hai Phong Opera House, which opened in 1912, is in the French Colonial style.

After dinner, transfer to the magnificent French Colonial Hai Phong Opera House, for the SoundBloom Music Fest Closing Concert.  MYO will be performing this evening, together with the Hanoi Academy of Music Orchestra.

Overnight: Hanoi

Depending on flight schedules, there may be some time in the morning for some last-minute shopping or sightseeing, before we transfer to the airport for our return flight to Melbourne.

Depart Hanoi for Australia.

Depending on flights, arrive in Melbourne late the same day or early the next morning.