DAY 01: HO CHI MINH ARRIVAL (D)
Upon arrival in the bustling Ho Chi Minh (also known as Sai Gon), you will be greeted by our guide and taken for a city tour to visit the Old Sai Gon Post Office, the War Remnants Museum and the former Presidential Palace; all engaging reminders of the city’s history.
In the evening, take your time to taste our Vietnamese sumptuous dinner in one of the finest restaurants/cruises in the city.
Overnight in Sai Gon.
DAY 02: HO CHI MINH (B, L, D)
Let’s feast your eyes on fresh ingredients at a busy early morning food market with your host, a local Sai Gon chef who will show you around the different produce stalls. Head back to their house where you’ll learn how to cook a traditional Sai Gon meal for lunch - Take a look at our menu to see which dishes interest you most.
In the afternoon, walk to the unseen oldest quarter of the city. At Le Cong Kieu, (Antiques Street) you will find a range of antiques - real and fake, along with military items from the war and relics from French occupation.
Continue to the Beaux Arts Museum, home to various modern arts and stroll around the nearby galleries where you can see local artists exhibiting their works. Dinner tonight is Banh Xeo, a savory pancake stuffed with prawn, pork and vegetables. Opened in 1941 this specialty restaurant is popular with locals and visitors alike. You can choose local style dining here or high tables.
Overnight in Sai Gon.
DAY 03: HO CHI MINH - MEKONG DELTA - HO CHI MINH (B, L, D)
After breakfast, spend 2 hours transferring to Cai Be, the delta town with its lush waterways and vast green rice fields.
Cruise Cai Be floating market and see the traders hang their produce on poles in front of the boats to attract customers. Many of these trading families have lived on this river for generations. Continue to a cottage factory where coconut candies, rice paper and ‘pop-rice’ are produced. Get back in the boat and admire the peaceful and beautiful sceneries as well as the life of the riverbank villages.
Lunch today is a Mekong Specialty served at a delightful colonial style villa. “Elephant Ear” Fish is grilled and wrapped in rice paper with a selection of fresh herbs and plants. Afterwards, cruise past beautiful scenery to the Co Chien River from which you will be driven back Ho Chi Minh City. Your evening is free at leisure.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
DAY 04: HO CHI MINH - DA NANG - HOI AN (B, L)
Transfer to the airport for a flight to Da Nang, then go to Hoi An - the 17th trading port has changed a lot over the years but retains its original architecture till now.
Take a walk around the ancient town center to its colorful market, visit the houses which were originally home to merchants of this port town, and see its unique 400 year old Japanese Bridge.
Your lunch will be served at Morning Glory restaurant. This restaurant serves a range of ‘Street Food’ including specialties of Hoi An and the upstairs balcony has a great view overlooking the street.
After lunch, ride down Hoi An’s narrow rural roads, seeing water buffaloes, organic vegetable farms and rice fields on the way to Tra Que. In this village see the farmers work on their organic herb garden before having a home-cooked meal including banh khoai, a savory sound pancake wrapped in rice paper. The rest of the day is free at leisure.
Overnight in Hoi An.
DAY 05: HOI AN (B, L)
Meet you guide today: the proprietor of Mango Rooms, Duc Tram. After a 15- year cooking journey spanning four continents he has come back to Vietnam and established Mango Rooms, where he employs his knowledge, talent and experience to create fantastic, memorable, modern Vietnamese cuisine.
Meet Duc at 8am at Hoi An market where he will take you around to meet the vendors and choose the best ingredients for today’s cooking. Delve into the Hoi An food world as he shows you his favorite stalls and produce along the way.
It’s a short walk to Mango Restaurant where your cooking class will be held. Duc will show you how to make his signature dishes. Lust in Translation: tuna rolls double layered with nori and rice paper sheets served crispy and topped with yogurt, passion fruit, and mint. Pearl of China Sea: large prawns battered Japanese-Vietnamese Style tossed with onion, green bell pepper, garlic and butter; and Magnum Opus: blue fin tuna steak seasoned in garlic, onion, ginger, basil, sesame seeds, pan seared and served with mango salsa.
After the class you can try out your own creation for lunch.
The afternoon and evening are free at your leisure to relax on the beach or wander around Hoi An’s art galleries.
Overnight in Hoi An.
DAY 06: HOI AN - HUE (B, L, D)
Hoi An’s culinary life will be explored further today as you go on a tasting tour of its tempting street treats. Start with a visit to a local market and try 36 different street foods all bought directly from their specialist vendors.
Everything here from sticky rice and tropical fruits to spring rolls, noodles are unique of Hoi An specialties. The tour begins with a ‘wet market’ featuring a huge variety of ingredients. Chat to the vendors to learn more about the names and usage of the things on display. You’ll wander through backstreets to unseen vendors selling specific foods and learn about the history and development of Vietnamese food in this region.
In the afternoon travel to Hue, the former Imperial capital of Vietnam where ancient tombs and mausoleums commemorate the former glory of the city. See the finest collection of Cham sculptures in the world at the Cham Museum, before heading down to the scenic fishing village of Lang Co via the Pass of Ocean Clouds.
The ‘royal cuisine’ of Hue is widely regarded as the best in the country. It originated in the time of the Nguyen Dynasty, where the royals had very particular taste and preferences. Try this cuisine tonight with dinner at the private ‘garden house’. At the house you will be greeted by a traditional Vietnamese welcome and the hostess will prepare a fabulous meal and serve it in the private garden.
Overnight in Hue.
DAY 07: HUE (B, L)
Cyclo through the ‘Old City’ to the historic relaxation spot of emperors, Tinh Tam Lake; filled with flowers in the summer and a popular place for students to study.
Continue to Tay Loc Market though rarely visited by tourists, it is not less special. Explore the ruins of the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled 1200 years ago. Drive on to Thien Mu (Celestial Lady) Pagoda, a 21- meter high tower represents the seven reincarnations of Buddha.
The pagoda grounds also contain the Austin car in which the monk Thich Quang Duc drove to the busy Saigon intersection where he set himself alight in protest against the Southern regime. The photo of these moments became one of the most enduring images of the war.
Try more Hue specialties for lunch today. Huynh Anh restaurant serves banh uot, a steamed rice pancake stuffed with delicate, finely chopped pork; and bun thi nuong, which is a rice noodle dish served with grilled meat.
Go on after lunch to the unique, European influenced tomb of Khai Dinh, then head back to your hotel where your evening is free at leisure.
Overnight in Hue.
DAY 08: HUE - HA NOI (B, L, D)
The morning is free until you transfer to the airport for the short flight to Ha Noi, where your guide and private car will transfer you to your hotel. After checking-in and freshening up, meet your food specialist for the day; an insider and real local authority on Ha Noi’s food life. He will take you through the details of today’s programme as you drive into the centre of Ha Noi. Start at the Old Quarter and stroll to Thanh Ha market, on the way observing all about the different stalls and foods you pass.
Your guide will explain the routine of Vietnamese meal times and let you sample some local specialties like Bun Dau and Pho Tiu. Dang Kuan is Ha Noi’s main market and your first stop. It’s filled with dried foods and aromatics; and your guide will help you to discover these, the essentials of Vietnamese cuisine.
Next, learn about Vietnamese celebrations and food gifts which are given as you walk down to Hang Than Street and its French-influenced dessert shops. Here you’ll see seasonal fruits which are specially treated and a hugely popular local snack. Near Phung Hung Street is a great example of tradition meeting modernity. The market area has been slowly changed but still retains its character. Towards the end of the tour we’ll stop at the Old Quarter’s busiest coffee shop for some refreshment before you transfer back to the hotel.
Tonight go back in time to the 1930’s at La Verticale, located in a villa in town. Chef and owner Didier Carlou has lived in Vietnam for 15 years and his menu reflects his love for the country’s cuisine.
Overnight in Ha Noi.
DAY 09: HA NOI (B, L)
Your food tour today is with an American chef and a cuisine writer. Start with a breakfast of the celebrated beef and rice noodle soup, Pho Ha Noi. Your guide will tell you about today’s tour and give you an overview of the culinary life of Ha Noi. Walk to a local market where your guide will introduce you to some of the vendors and help you selecting anything you wish to buy. The next stop is for tea (tra) or coffee (ca phe) with the locals in the French Quarter.
Drive on to Truc Bach Lake for Pho Cuon, a grilled beef and rice noodle roll. Your guide shops at the next market you’ll visit almost every day, and you can meet his regular suppliers and learn more about Hanoi ingredients. Have lunch at the special Bún Cha Chanh, run by two sisters who still use real wood to make the Bun Cha Chanh. It is only open a few hours per day and always busy; a real local favorite.
At the end of the tour you’ll visit a ‘Bia Hoi’ serving draft beer and try some snacks . These places are great for meeting locals, as everyone comes here to socialize and chat about the day. It’s the guide’s pleasure to give you tips on places to dine in Hanoi and elsewhere in the country.
Overnight in Ha Noi.
DAY 10: HA NOI - HA LONG BAY (B, L, D)
After breakfast leave Ha Noi for an overnight boat trip to Ha Long Bay. Witness local people’s daily life on your drive to the pier. Villagers work in their rice fields and plough them using buffaloes, while others cycle to market with their wares loaded wherever they can fit them.
Arrive at Ha Long City in the late morning and board a traditional wooden junk (or a classic replica steamship - The Emerald) for an overnight journey into the bay.
Sailing past a variety of rock formations, many named after their resemblance to things (Sail, Dog, and Incense Pot). Weigh anchor as the sun begins to set over the bay and enjoy a relaxed dinner with fresh seafood and fruits before settling down for the night.
Overnight in Ha Long.
DAY 11: HA LONG BAY - HA NOI (B)
There will be tea and coffee served in the morning followed by a Tai Chi class on deck. Have a healthy brunch on board as your boat sails past gorgeous scenery and limestone rock formations to Halong City, where your driver will meet you and transfer you to the airport. Your afternoon and evening are free at leisure.
Overnight in Ha Noi.
DAY 12: HA NOI (B)
Your private car and guide are at your disposal until your transfer to Ha Noi’s Noi Bai Airport for your onward flight.