Vietnam Culinary Journey

10 days 9 nights            

Ha Noi – Ha Long – Hoi An – Hue – Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta

Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi streetfood tasting (B,D)

Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay (B,L,D)

Day 4: Halong – Flight to Danang – Hoi An (Brunch)

Day 5: Hoi An ancient town (B,L)

Day 6: Hoi An Cooking Class – Hue (B)

Day 7: Hue City tour (B,L)

Day 8: Hue – Flight to Ho Chi Minh – Vespa food tour (B,D)

Day 9: Mekong delta day tour (B,L)

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh departure (B)

Day 1. Arrival in Ha Noi

Welcome to the thousand-year old capital of Vietnam!

On your arrival at Hanoi airport, you will be welcomed by our guide and escorted to your hotel in the city center, where you will have time to freshen up and relax after a long journey.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2. Ha Noi – Street food tasting (breakfast/dinner)

Today you will explore the charming capital city of Hanoi visiting significant sites including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh’s traditional stilt house, Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam.

In the afternoon, take a walk around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem lake area to taste a wide variety of Hanoi authentic street food. Wander around a local market to enjoy the sights, the sounds and the aroma from hundreds of kinds of food on offer. Make a stop to taste the famous “bun cha” fresh rice noodles with grilled pork followed by a typical Vietnamese dessert – a little bowl of fresh fruit mixed with condensed milk.

After dinner, try a glass of Bia Hoi, local draught beer, at a small corner in the Hanoi Old Quarter, and watch local life moving around you. If you are less interested in beer, then follow our guide to a local coffee shop for a short Egg coffee demonstration and enjoy Egg coffee, famous in Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3. Ha Noi – Ha Long Bay (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

After breakfast, depart by private vehicle for Ha Long Bay, Vietnam’s best-loved UNESCO World Heritage site! Meaning “dragon descending into the sea,” Ha Long owes its name to a Vietnamese myth. The 1,600-plus limestone karsts and islets that dot the bay are thought to be the dragon’s back poking out of the jade green water. At around noon, you’ll arrive at the Halong Bay jetty. Here, you’ll hop aboard your boat and begin your join-in overnight Halong Bay cruise.

In the afternoon enjoy various activities planned by the boat’s staff, or just relax on the sundeck.

Lunch and dinner will be served on board with an excellent menu of fresh seafood.

Overnight on the bay amongst the karst formations.

Day 4. Ha Long – Ha Noi – flight to Da Nang – Hoi An (breakfast/brunch)

Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet breath-taking beauty of Halong Bay’s landscape. Continue cruising to explore more of the bay and enjoy the brunch breakfast before returning to the Jetty at noon time. Drive transfer directly to Noi Bai airport for flight to Da Nang city. After landing, transfer to your hotel overnight in Hoi An.

Day 5. Hoi An (breakfast/lunch)

After breakfast, explore Hoi An’s charming Ancient Town on a walking tour. Declared as a World Heritage Site in 1994, Hoi An is a beautifully preserved town and exudes a tranquil ambiance. Here, you can stroll around to see the old Japanese covered bridge, Chinese assembly halls, ancient houses and the colorful local market. You can also join a lantern workshop where a craftsman will guide us how to make our own lanterns. Bring home your creatures as a souvenir of gorgeous Hoi An.

The walking tour continues along the small streets of Hoi An to discover producers and street vendors making and selling a wide variety of exotic foods and tasty local special dishes. Enjoy a light lunch with the famous baguette – Banh Mi Phuong, vietnamese bread filled with homemade pork liver pâté mixed with pork and a dose of aromatic herbs and salads.

In the afternoon, hop on a bicycle and take a ride through picturesque scenes to Cam Thanh village. Embark on a boat to cruise to Cua Dai River. Here, you’ll witness traditional fishing methods where the local fishermen throw a giant nest to catch the fish. Move to a bamboo basket boat. This fun ride will take you into a beautiful mangrove forest.

Return to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day on your own.

Day 6. Hoi An – Cooking Class – Hue (breakfast)

Today you will experience the sights and sounds of a local market where you learn about main ingredients in Vietnamese cuisine before getting into a cooking lesson. A boat ride along the Hoi An River will take you to the cooking school where the chef takes you to visit the herb garden, demonstrate what to cook and explain clearly how to cook each dish. After that, you will prepare the food yourselves and taste your delicious creation for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will depart from Hoi An to Hue, taking the spectacular “Hai Van Pass” route, which offers you an incomparable panoramic view of Vietnam’s massive coastline.

Overnight in Hue.

Day 7. Hue (breakfast/lunch)

After breakfast, take a boat trip to Thien Mu pagoda, also known as the Celeste Lady Pagoda, which overlooks the Perfume River. Built in 1601, Thien Mu pagoda is one of the most ancient and beautiful pagodas in Hue royal city.  Then visit the majestic Imperial Citadel, home of Vietnam’s last royal dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Continue to the tomb of Emperor Minh Mang. Take time to admire its significant architecture in a charming landscape, with 40 buildings arranged along a 700-meter long axis surrounded by hills, fragrant pines and lakes. Next, continue to the tomb of Khai Dinh. This design of this monument is unique for its fusion of traditional Vietnamese style and European aesthetics, setting it apart from the other sites in Hue.

Return to Hue centre and hop on a cyclo to discover the rest of the city. Make your way through Hue’s buzzing streets and Trang Tien bridge, a century-old structure designed by the same person behind Paris’ Eiffel Tower. Pay a visit at Dong Ba market before heading back to your hotel.

Overnight in Hue.

Day 8. Hue – flight to Ho Chi Minh – Vespa Food tour (breakfast/dinner)

Free time at leisure until your transfer to the airport to catch a short flight to Ho Chi Minh city.

Upon arrival, you will meet your local guide and travel by car to your hotel for check-in. Discover Ho Chi Minh city with a half-day city tour of iconic colonial sights. Start with a visit to the Reunification Hall, one of the most recognizable icons of the city. Then wander your way through Ho Chi Minh’s colonial quarter where you can admire the colonial architecture of the stunning Opera house, Saigon Post Office, City Hall and more. Return to your hotel to relax.

In the evening, explore Saigon’s vibrant nightlife on the backseat of a Vespa as you zip around town on an evening foodie tour. As night falls, the city ramps-up an infectiously buzzy vibe. Soak in the atmosphere while sitting on the back of a vintage Vespa as your driver takes you through busy streets and off-the-beaten path alleyways. We have tastings at several local food eateries and hidden cafes. Amongst these, at a half-century-old dessert shop, we taste Che, a sweet soup.

Overnight in Saigon.

Day 9. Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta – Ho Chi Minh (breakfast/lunch)

After breakfast, head out on a day trip to explore the Mekong Delta. Drive to Ben Tre where you’ll board a boat for a cruise down the Mekong River to visit several local workshops where you try our hands on the process and sample local delights. A bike ride will follow, taking you through sprawling rice fields and peaceful countrysides, arriving at a local restaurant where you savor delicious lunch. Afterward, paddle in a sampan (small rowing boat) past water coconut trees along tranquil canals. After the cruise, return to Saigon.

Overnight in Saigon.

Day 10. Ho Chi Minh – Departure (breakfast)

Spend the day at your leisure until transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

End of all services.

Inclusions services: 

• Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast
• Land transportation by private air-conditioned vehicles
• Experienced and skilled English-Speaking Guide
• All admission fee at attractions as mentioned in the itinerary.
• All meals as mentioned in the itinerary.
• Sharing cabins in Halong tour as mentioned in the itinerary.

Exclusions services: 

• Visa handling fee,visa stamping fee.
• Internal airfares in the tour (please refer to the airfare supplement)
• International airfare from/to Vietnam
• Any other meals not mentioned above.
• Any kind of drinks in meals
• All other services which are not mentioned in INCLUSIONS
• Early check-in and late check-out at all hotels
• Travel insurance in all kinds
• Personal expenses such as Bar, telephone, Laundry bills …
• Tipping/ Gratuities Guideline
• Any additional expenses caused by reasons beyond our control such as natural calamities (Typhoon, floods), flight delays, rescheduling or cancellations, any accidents, medical evacuations, riots, strikes etc.
• Surcharge for peak season/public holidays if any.