A visually stimulating morning in Cai Be. Photos will be posted later. On today’s three-hour tour, we are traveling by private water taxi, a good way to go, not sticking out so much as tourists on a bus. We are traveling on the river, like the locals.

If you have a bucket list, put this trip on it. My daughter says she enjoyed this Heritage House the most, where we got to see how Vietnamese live. An appropriate trip for a 14-year-old? It’s more than that. I would argue that it’s essential for anyone who hopes to develop a well-rounded world view. “It’s only day one, but it’s probably the best trip I’ve ever taken,” says the well-traveled 17-year-old Isabel Karst from Los Angeles.