Vietnam Culinary Tour

Our driver welcomes you at the Noi Bai airport and transfer (no guide, only driver) to your hotel in the center of city.

Rest of time is free at leisure.
 

Hanoi, a city between the rivers, built from lowland, Hanoi has many scenic lakes and sometime is called “city of lakes”. Among its lakes, the most famous are Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, Halair Lake, Bay Mau Lake…As the capital of Vietnam for almost a thousand years, Hanoi is considered to be the cultural centre of Vietnam, where every dynasty has left behind their imprint. Even though some relics have not survived through wars and time, the city still has many interesting cultural and historic monuments for visitors and residents alike…
 

Overnight in Hanoi.
 

Breakfast at hotel.

08:00am: your local tour guide will welcome you at hotel. Enjoy a full day city tour starting with the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam and the impressive Ethnologic Museum (closed on every Monday), dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. 

The beautiful West Lake and the History Museum
(closed on Monday and Friday) with an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the Vietnamese history are also highlight of our trip. Visit these sights before continuing to the peaceful lake of Hoan Kiem with Ngoc Son temple.

Please note, you may as well visit Uncle Ho in his museum (Mondays and Fridays closed). Some of our clients do not wish, but we leave it open…And not to forget…Uncle Hoe travels for about 2 to 3 months yearly to Russia – for a new make over: it might be he won't be residing when you are there…
 

Overnight in Hanoi.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Pick up from your hotel in Hanoi.

Drive to Halong City through the paddy fields in the Red River Delta. Check in and enjoy Welcome Drink, receive cruise brief and safety instruction by crew member and  Cruise Manager.
 

Start cruising. Enjoy set menu lunch while cruising to magnificent Halong Bay – Bai Tu Long Bay, admire the fascinating formations on the way. You will have opportunity to see the famous such as: Perfume Rock, Fighting Cock, Lonely Rock, Saddle Rock…. before arrives to "Vung Viêng” village. Visit “Vung Viêng” village by a rustic – row boat and get back to your boat and  have free time for relax.

Take part in a Tai Chi class on the sundeck (duration about 30 minutes)

Coffee, tea and pastries… for breakfast are served in the dining room with morning view of bay's landscape.

Transfer by tender to Sung Sot Cave. Walk up about 100 steps to the cave entrance. It takes approximately 45 minutes for cave visiting. Return to the boat by tender. Proper shoes are highly recommended. Check out and make payment in reception area.

Have a set menu brunch while cruising back to the Tuan Chau Wharf. Relax on the sundeck or in the dining room enjoying the bay scenery as approaching the wharf.

Transfer by tender to Tuan Chau Wharf. Say goodbye  to the crew.

Return from Halong to Hanoi by shuttle bus.
Stop over the middle to visit a traditional workshop.

Overnight in Hanoi.
 

Breakfast at your hotel then transfer to the market with a local chef.

Today, you will not just only know how to cook but also will understand more about Vietnamese culture through out the course with the short movie demonstrating a traditional Vietnamese kitchen; by explaining the importance of rice and its cultural significance; the different spices, when and how they are used; the market; and of course fish sauce.
 

After breakfast, transfer to the market with our Chef:
08:00 – 09:00: at the market.
09:00 – 12:00: Cooking class demonstration & practice
12:00 – 13:00: Lunch with dishes that you have learned to make.

Afternoon, drive to visit Bat Trang Pottery Village – Bat Trang, which translates as ‘bowl-making village’ became famous for its bricks and for its bat dan, a type of bowl popular in the Red River Delta. The village's ceramics were finished with five types of glaze: iron brown, blue and white, ivory, moss green, and cracked. The most typical designs, and the ones that are most popular to this day, involve a combination of white and deep cobalt blue. Direct transfer to the airport for afternoon flight to Danang.

Upon arrival, your driver pick-up you from the Danang airport, transfer (no guide) to your hotel in Hoian.
 

Overnight in Hoian.

Breakfast at your hotel.

Transfer to your cooking class for a half-day course.
Start with a drink at Hai Scout Café (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An Ancient Town) – the meeting point.
Visit Hoi An's colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later.
We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School.

This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy.
On arrival, we explore the cooking school's herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An's and Vietnam's well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef's, before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration).
 

After the lesson, we sit down and eat together what we have cooked! 

In the afternoon: enjoy your visit to Tra Que – a charming little village on the edge of Hoi An, the village is named after the sweet scented vegetables that spice up the everyday meals of the Pho Hoi people. Here a new spirit for traditional Hoi An dishes like Cao Lau, Quang noodles, the local ‘Tam huu’ spring roll (made from Tra Que vegetables) and cake with meat (Banh xeo) has been enlivened. Enjoy a cookery class with your host. Experience a day of living and working with the local people in Tra Que vegetable village, in which you will have a chance to discover the daily life of farmers.
 

Introduction to the history of the village, the cultivation of the vegetables as well as discovering about the use of vegetables in traditional Vietnamese medicine.
You will take a trip around the vegetable garden and join the farmers in preparing the land and fertilizing it with seaweed from the local lake. Continue doing activities such as: raking, sowing, watering greens, picking greens and many more gardening activities.
 

Back to your hotel. Overnight in Hoian.

Breakfast at hotel.

In the morning: visit Hoi An town, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site because of its unusually well-preserved ancient streets and homes. Explore the old port town's narrow cobblestone streets and pay a visit to historic sites including a traditional Chinese trading house, Phuc Kien Pagoda, and the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge.

Check-out of hotel.

In the afternoon: Drive to Hue, you travel through Hai Van pass, and Lang Co beach – one of the most beautiful beach of Vietnam. Check-in hotel.

Overnight in Hue.

Breakfast at hotel.

Take a scenic boat trip on Perfume River to visit Thien Mu pagoda.
You will visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue, King Tu Duc's tomb (Tu Duc is a king but also a poet, so his mausoleum is a poet garden), King Minh Mang tomb (typical formal oriental style designed).
 

Overnight at hotel in Hue.

Breakfast at hotel.

Transfer to Hue airport to catch flight to Saigon.
Upon arrival, your tour guide will welcome you at the airport.
In this largest city of Vietnam, you will see the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life everywhere, and there is something invigorating about it all. Constrasting images of the exotic and mundane abound. There are the street markets, where bargains are struck and deals are done; the pavement cafes, where stereo speakers fill the surrounding streets with a melodious thumping beat; and the sleek new cafes and pubs, where tourists chat over beer, pretzels, coffee and croissants. 
If time permit, enjoy your half day visit to Notre Dame cathedral, former post office, former Presidential Palace, or War Museum, China town with Ben Thanh market.

Overnight at hotel in Saigon

In the morning: drive from your hotel to Hoc Mon District to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, which is 70 kilometers North West of down town Ho Chi Minh City. The Cu Chi Tunnel system had been created long time back, from 1948 to assist Viet Minh in the combat with French. And it was continuing built over 25 years later. It was an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers. In places, it was housed up to 10,000 people who virtually lived underground for years…getting married, giving birth. During the American War the entire area of Cu Chi was designated a free fire zone and was heavily bombarded. From 1988, two sections of tunnels have been open for visitors. Be back at your hotel after 4 hours travel & visit

In the afternoon, transfer to the cooking class for your half day course at Saigon Culinary Art center.
14:00-15:00: go to the market with chef
15:00-18:00: cooking class demonstration & practice
Today, you will learn how to cook Vietnamese food, you will learn 5 places inclusive soup, salad, main course, steam rice and desert.
Enjoy your dinner with what you have learned.
Back to your hotel. Overnight in Saigon

Cai Be Floating Market is a famous place in Mekong Delta, here the Tien River forms the border between Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Ben Tre Provinces. Every day, approximately 400 -500 boats filled with fruits, vegetables and other products anchor a long the banks of the river, waiting for traders and customers. The merchandise sold in each boat is hung on a high pole in front of the boat as a sample to attract customers from a distance.

Our car will pick up at your hotel in early morning. Upon arrival at Cai Be, embark a private boat to cruise around Cai Be Floating Market  to see local people being selling, buying, exchanging goods from their boats. Visit local garden and house to see orchard, rice crisped producing process, etc.. Cruise along river to see peaceful tranquil life of villagers, admire marvelous natural natural setting of Mekong Delta region. About 3 pm, the boat will arrival at Vinh Long Market, walking around to explore Vinh Long Market. On the way back to Saigon, stop for a rest a bit. Arrival at your hotel at about 06.00pm.
 

Overnight in Saigon.

Free time for shopping or optional visit before transfer (no guide) to Tan Son Nhat Airport for departure.

End of trip!