DAY 1: HO CHI MINH ARRIVAL (D)
Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, you will be greeted and transferred to Hotel. Free at leisure. Dinner at one of the city’s finest restaurants.
DAY 2: COOKING CLASS – CITY TOUR (B, L)
Enjoy a private cooking class at the Sai Gon Culinary Art Centre including a visit to the market to choose fresh ingredients. Attend a cooking class and enjoy to the fullest your creation as lunch.
8.30am - 9.30am: Market visits
9.30am - 10.00am: Start the journey by a welcome drink and an introduction of "Corner of Vietnamese Traditional Kitchen" with the legend of "Kitchen God" narrated by English speaking MC
10.00am - 10.30am: Participate in "Food preparation" with the Chef
10.30am - 11.10am: Enjoy the cooking class with a selective menu of "Traditional dishes".
11.10am - 11.45am: Enjoy Lunch with participant's own creation.
11.45am - 12.00am: Remittance of Certificate, Handbook with detailed recipes and small gift of "The Sai Gon Culinary Art Center" will crown the session..
Sightseeing today includes a visit to the former Presidential Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the French-style Post Office & War remnant museum.
DAY 03: HO CHI MINH – MEKONG RIVER DELTA (B, L, D)
Drive to the watery world of the Mekong Delta, just some hours by road from Ho Chi Minh City. Head south to the Mekong Delta and reach Ben Tre, crossing the Mekong River with a local ferry. Walking through fruit orchards, then ride a horse cart on the village road to see the life style of local people & pass by the green fields. Take a sampan to experience your Mekong discovery cruising small canals and arroyos lined with water coconut, & enjoying honey tea. Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda. Lunch at local restaurant with Vietnamese special dishes as “Tai Tuong” fried fish, spring rolls and shrimps. Back to Ho Chi Minh City – Stopover to visit Thien Hau Chinese Temple. Our evening meal will be at the typical French dishes, followed by violin and piano concert.
DAY 04: HO CHI MINH – DA NANG – HOI AN (B, L)
Transfer to the airport for domestic flight to Da Nang – Pick up & transfer to Hoi An. We stroll through Tra Que, a vegetable village and join the farmers to learn about their work and see their farming techniques. After lunch at a local farmer’s house, we enjoy a walking tour of Hoi An and visit one of the oldest homes, which is still occupied by the descendants of the merchants that built it over 200 years ago. Also visit the Japanese Bridge, Hoi An Market and a local Chinese Pagoda.
DAY 05: FREE DAY IN HOI AN (B)
DAY 06: HOI AN – HUE (B, L, D)
Visit Champa Museum, then transfer to Hue. We also meet the local monks and learn about their experiences and way of life followed by a vegetarian lunch. Visit the Imperial Citadel - the centrepiece of the royal empire which was extensively damaged during the Viet Nam War. Evening an extraordinary dinner, served by the lady of the house in the traditional manner in the private gardens of her home.
DAY 07: COOKING CLASS – CITY TOUR (B, L, D)
We stroll around Dong Ba Market with a local chef to purchase ingredients before taking part in a cooking class where we learn some traditional recipes which we will enjoy for lunch. Take a boat trip on Perfume river to Thien Mu pagoda & former King Minh Mang tomb. Back to the boat Station, continue to visit former King Khai Dinh Tomb. In the evening, we enjoy dinner at a restored royal house.
DAY 08: HUE – HA NOI (B, D)
Transfer to the airport for Domestic flight to Ha Noi. Pick up & transfer for a city tour: Today, staring your excursion to visit the granite and concrete mausoleum (closed on every Monday and Friday; Oct. & Nov.) where Ho Chi Minh lies in state and the government buildings, his house on stilt. You can also stop at the One Pillar Pagoda. Afternoon, visit One of the most interesting temple in Ha Noi is Temple of Literature, called “Le Pagoda des Corbeaux” by the French, because of the huge flocks of crows gathering in the mango trees near the entrance & Historical Museum. Dinner at one of Hanoi’s best restaurants – Housed in a renovated old French Villa, which has become a must – visit on the agendas of all foreign VIPs.
DAY 09: COOKING CLASS – CITY TOUR (B, L)
We visit a local market to purchase ingredients before taking part in a cooking class to learn some traditional recipes which we enjoy for lunch. Continue to take one hour cyclo (trishaw) in the Old quarter, visit Sword lake with Ngoc Son temple, enjoy Water Puppet show.
DAY 10: HA NOI – HA LONG BAY (B, L, D)
Have breakfast. Proceed to Ha Long. On arrival, check-in on board. Welcome drink is served. Have lunch on board – seafood. A fantastic cruise in the Bay, visit Dinh Huong Island, Ga Choi Island, Sail Island, visit Sung Sot Cave and a swim at Titov Beach. Relax and enjoy sunset. Dinner - seafood.
Overnight on board.
DAY 11: HA LONG BAY – HANOI (B, BRUNCH)
Light breakfast on board (cake, tea, coffee, milk). A morning cruise to visit Man’s Head Island, Tortoise Island, visit Luon Cave by small bamboo boat. Enjoy brunch on board. Check-out. Transfer back to Hanoi. On the way, stopover at Bat Trang ancient ceramics village.
Overnight in Ha Noi.
DAY 12: HA NOI – DEPARTURE (B)
Free until transfer to the airport for departure flight back home.