Authentic Culinary Tour In Vietnam

Welcome to Vietnam! 
The local tour guide will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport; it will take 35 minutes driving to the center of Hanoi to check-in hotel. It’s then your own time to relax after a long haul flight. 
In the afternoon, you will have an overall view of the capital by a “cyclo” visit, which will start around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, stop at Ngoc Son Temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Sword” Lake), and the bustling Dong Xuan market. In the late afternoon, you will enjoy a unique fascinating show of Water Puppetry, a traditional stage art of Northern Vietnam. The dinner will be at your own arrangement for flexibility. Overnight in Hanoi.

Please note!

• Hotel check-in time is around 14.00
• Depend on your arrival time, the program will be adjusted accordingly. 
   

Breakfast at hotel. Today, you will take time to visit Duong Lam Ancient village - about 65 kilometers from Hanoi with about 1,200 historical years. The village is well-known for its surviving laterite brick houses, built three to four centuries ago. Visit Mia Pagoda (built in 15th century) and admire 287 statues of all sizes. Then take a walk on the village path to visit Mong Phu Temple (dedicated to national heroes) King Ngo Quyen Temple and King Phung Hung Temple.
We will move on to the ancient houses producing local specialties, such as soft green-lentil cake and rice cake filled with brown onion (depending on the season), especially learn about the procedure of making 'Tuong' - a salty paste made from fermented soybeans, which is popular in vegetarian meals, particularly those prepared and eaten by Vietnamese Buddhist monks. 
Lunch with local family in local style. Transfer back to your hotel in Hanoi for your short relax. 
Late afternoon, we will step off the beaten track and go through the maze of Hanoi to seek real authentic food with our local guide, which, just by the look, can make your mouth water.

• Hanoi food tour will be uncompleted without slurping a bowl of Pho noodle soup, which is considered as Vietnam's unofficial national dish.
• On the way in old quarter, you will see many hawkers who sell fresh fruits. You will have time to take picture and taste some.
• Follow Obama President's trip to eat Bun Cha (Grilled pork on rice noodle).
• The street food today end at a hidden café - one of Hanoi's best kept secrets and have a cup of egg coffee. Or if coffee is not your style, a cold beer await.

Back your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.
 

If you wish to see how the Hanoi people rise and shine in the morning, wake up early and run to a lake close by your hotel, you can join an exciting scene of hundreds of locals, passionately attentive in their morning exercises of Tai Chi quan, jogging, martial arts, classical dance and so on.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will head to Halong Bay, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO since 1994 and 2006, and check-in the overnight boat. Enjoy a trip on Halong with stops to visit caves or to swim and enjoy the sunset on the sea. This is the perfect time for you to enjoy a cocktail or two as the sun sets over the karst landscape. Foodies can partake in Vietnamese cooking demonstration before dinner, and guaranteed to whet the appetite. Dinner with fresh seafood. Overnight onboard. 
 

Suggested flight Hanoi - Hue: VN1545 at 18:00-19:10
Morning wake up with a taichi-quan or yoga exercises guided by the crew before having breakfast whilst your boat goes on between Halong islets. Brunch on board. Return to the Wharf to be back to Noi Bai Airport by bus at midday for your onwards flight to Hue. 
Upon arrival at Phu Bai airport - Hue, you will be welcomed by the local tour guide and transfer to the city center. Dinner is at your own arrangment for flexibility. Overnight in Hue. 
 

Being recognized by UNESCO as the first Cultural World Heritage for Vietnam, Hue is highlighted by the old royal architectural works and the most traditional Vietnamese lifestyle. You will discover the charm of the city from the Royal Citadel, Forbidden City, Hue Royal Museum and Dong Ba bustling market. 
Lunch is at your own arrangement for flexibility.
In the afternoon, go on to Thien Mu pagoda and visit the Tombs of King Minh Mang - the best-reserved monuments of the Nguyen Emperors since the early 19th and early 20th centuries. 
Enjoy a Royal Dinner at Ancient Hue Restaurant - a typical entertainment under the Nguyen Dynasty will be re-created vividly at Ancient Hue restaurant. With this service, guests will have the chance to experience the authentic cuisines of Hue’s royalty. Guests will come into an ancient environment with ancient costumes, Royal music and performances while enjoying the Royal dishes carefully prepared to the finest detail for a sumptuous dinner that is fit for royalty. Overnight in Hue. 
 

Breakfast at the hotel. Our visit today start from Thai Duong Ha Village, being an accident fishing village that has hundreds of years in history. Continue with fish market which is busy all day long. At the market, you will experience bustling life of fishermen and traders from Tam Giang Lagoon as well as seeing all types of fish, shrimps, and crabs. Heading to Tam Giang pier and take a boat to discover Tam Giang Lagoon, the most wonderful lagoon in Vietnam. Experience the daily life of local people, fishermen and enjoy spectacular view in Tam Giang Lagoon, relax and experience fresh air, peaceful atmosphere here. 
Our last stop today will be at Rú Chá- a tiny islet (rú) on the Tam Giang Lagoon. Originally, Rú Chá was a mangrove forest before local people encroached on the land for farming, leaving the emerging part of the forest a 5ha islet. Dinner are at your own arrangement for flexibility. Overnight in Hue.
 

Breakfast at hotel, on the way from Hue to Hoi An via the magnificent “Ocean Cloudy” Pass today, you can stop to visit the Lang Co Beach and Marble Mt., and contemplate wonderful seascape from the mountaintop halfway through the pass. Arrive at the hotel in Hoi An. 
In the afternoon, together with the guide in Hoian, you’ll walk over the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls, visit ancient houses and Trading Houses, pagodas, and stroll into the market located by Thu Bon river, where you may find out the same feelings of the artists, who see the rooftops of Hoi An a magical old world of Oriental feel and source of inspiration. This is also a wonderful town to shop for lanterns, soft silk, raw silk, or get your clothes tailored within a day. 
Lunch at local restaurant and dinner is at your own arrangement for flexibility. Overnight in Hoi An.
 

Suggested flight Saigon – Da Nang:  VN 129 at 16.00-17.30
Breakfast at hotel. Depart from your hotel and ride the bicycle in 30 minutes to Tra Que herb village. Take a short stroll around the vegetable garden and listen to the history of the village. Then, join gardening activities in preparing the land, fertilizing with seaweed, raking the ground, sowing, watering, picking vegetables. Enjoy foot soak before getting to preparing lunch with a local family. Join cooking with ‘Tam Huu’ spring roll, ‘Banh xeo’ - a local pancake of people in Viet Nam middle region. Lunch at the local family with local style. After your morning excursions and lunch, you learn how to harvest and wrap the vegetables. Bid farewell to your host family before heading straight to the airport for your onwards flight to Saigon. 
Upon arrival, the local tour guide will be welcoming you at the airport; transfer to Saigon Centre to check-in hotel. Dinner is at your own arrangement for flexibility. Overnight in Saigon.
 

Breakfast at the hotel. Our first stop will be the Reunification Palace, the witness of the fierce Vietnam War ended in 1975. The grand building today is a Museum and Hall of official receptions. Nearby the Palace are the colonial-styled Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883 and one of the city’s major landmarks.  
The lunch is on your own arrangement for more flexibility before starting the city tour later on. 
In the afternoon, we continue Thien Hau Temple, one of the most important pagodas in the city, this richly decorated temple is dedicated to Thien Hau, the Goddess of the Sea and patron of sailors. She is said to travel over the oceans on a mat and ride the clouds to wherever she desires. Our next stop will be China town, settled in the late 18th century, this labyrinthine section of Ho Chi Minh City bustles with restaurants, temples, exotic stores, and markets and cross Binh Tay market, the main marketplace in China Town, where a great deal of wholesale trading occurs. Experience the commotion of this integral part of the city's daily business. 
Back to your hotel for short refreshment. 
This evening, we will have dinner in the dark at The Noir. This is more than just a meal but a sensory journey that will make you re-evaluate your perception of taste and smell. Be one of the first or try this one-of-a-kind dining experience for a unique date or group outing Saigon. Overnight in Saigon.
 

After breakfast, head out of Saigon to visit Cu Chi Tunnels, 70 kilometers northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. This network of tunnels, which stretched for over 200 kilometers, is one of the most famous and historical aspects of the Viet Nam War. Upon arrival, watch a short introductory documentary before following the guide into the winding, underground network to explore the war memorial park.
Discover the Cu Chi site, which includes weapon and booby-trap exhibitions, visit different underground bunkers featuring kitchens, meeting rooms, ammunition depots and hospitals. View authentic relics from the war such as camouflaged tunnel entrances and a bullet-riddled tank. Here, you have a chance to taste with salt boiled cassava beans - foods common in Cu Chi tunnels. Cassava and tapioca are boiled in Hoang Cam stove flues with underground pipes. Lunch and dinner is at your own arrangement for flexibility. Overnight in Saigon.

Optional excursion: Private Craft Beer Walk and Talk
This tour can start at the time of your choosing and includes stops at 3 craft beer tap rooms and a craft beer bar where you will learn pretty much all there is to know about the craft beer scene in Saigon!
Price: 75 USD / person for 2-person package
Include:
East West Brewing Co
Pasteur Street Brewing
Malt (craft beer bar)
Heart of Darkness
Includes: 10+ craft beers, a light snack, the personal attention of our expert guide.
 

After breakfast at hotel, we will head to the South to Ben Tre, the homeland of coconut and family factories with local products.
On arrival in Ham luong Pier (Add: 200 C Hung Vuong St,ward 5, Bentre town). Boating on Ben Tre river – one of tributaries of Mekong river- go along mangrove trees growing up ashore of waterway. Witness lively activities of town market on land and transfering on waterway as fishing boats, coconut cargo boats.  
Stop at traditional brickwork to see how to make bricks by hand. Turn on Cai Son canal winding through coconut jungle, visit coconut workshop, have a look stages of coconut processing from husk off, prize out to peel out by hand. Go on small waterway and stop at coconut candy workshop, have a look them making candy by hand, try some sweet, enjoy some fruits and listen to local music as well. Go on by boat and step ashore and take a shortwalk to farmer house who making sleepmats.
Join a small cooking session with a cake named “Bánh lá mít” - Smile of Mekong with our local guide. It is a simple cake made from flour and wrapped in jackfruit leaves.
Hop on tuktuk through coconut grove, deeping on coconut jungle in country. 
Stop for lunch at local restaurant. 
Relax and keep going by rowing boat on shady palm tree canal.
Drop tour off at local market or An Thạnh pier.  
Continue our journey to Can Tho for overnight. Dinner is at your own arrangement for flexibility.  
 

Start from Ninh Kieu boat quay, where you cruise along the small and picturesque canals and stop to see the Cai Rang floating market (the nicest one with heaps of rowing boats). You will stop to enjoy the beautiful scenery and the daily activities of the locals who live along the Mekong canals. Walking through the village to visit a rice husking mill and a rice/noodle shop, where we observe how it is made. 
Transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for departure flight. Lunch and dinner is at your own arrangement for flexibility. 
End of services!  
Please note!
Hotel check-out time is around 12.00.