Vietnam Travel: A 12-Day Culinary Tour

Itinerary

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh Arrival, check-in at hotel

When you get to Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, a driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel.

Day 2: Tour of Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon City Tour

Following your breakfast, your guide will take you on a tour of some of the most iconic sites in Ho Chi Minh City. First, you’ll be taken to the Reunification Hall, a glorious colonial-style structure that once served as the Governor General of Indochina’s residence. After that, you’ll visit the War Remnants Museum, where you can see a partial, yet captivating, representation of the ‘American War.’ Then, you will be taken to Ben Thanh Market, one of the city’s busiest and most diverse areas. Finally, you will explore the Jade Emperor Temple, one of the most renowned Taoist temples in the country with awe-inspiring statues, carvings of Hell, and some unexpected terrapin and tortoise sanctuaries.

✓ Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Local market visit to source ingredients, Hoa Tuc cooking class and dinner, then free time to explore Ho Chi Minh City

At Hoa Tuc, today will begin with a cooking class. You will start off with a visit to a local market to learn about the local produce and how to buy ingredients, followed by an introduction to Vietnamese culinary culture. After this, you will get to work in the kitchen with the help of a Vietnamese chef who speaks English. There is a selection of menus that have been designed to give you a full experience of Vietnamese cuisine. After cooking, you will get to savour the meal you have prepared. The recipes from the class will also be provided so that you can recreate the dishes at home. This is a must try activity during your holiday to Vietnam.

In the afternoon, you can explore Ho Chi Minh City. One of the popular areas to explore is District 1, where you can see many colonial buildings. Or you could spend your time in the city’s bars and get a cocktail with a luxurious price at Saigon Saigon Bar of the Caravelle Hotel, which has a 360 degree view on the top floor. You can also admire the Continental Hotel, Opera House, fashionable Dong Khoi street, and the Majestic Hotel. There are also many stories of Graham Green, Noel Coward, and many more dignitaries and outcasts that still roam the streets of Saigon.

✓ Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: Travel to Cai Be. Boat cruise to Cai Be Floating Market, visit Tan Phong Island, Mr Nam On, local cooking class, and take part in local activities

After departing Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll travel to Cai Be. After a 2.5-hour drive, you’ll arrive at Cai Be pier, and begin a boat cruise that will take you to the Cai Be Floating Market, as well as to handicraft industries and a honeybee farm that line the river’s banks. From there, you’ll visit Tan Phong Island, where you can pick and taste fruits like durian, rambutan, longan, plum, and jackfruit, before heading to Mr. Nam On, where you can learn about traditional instruments and enjoy a folk song show by local artists. You’ll then take a sampan to the Mekong Ecolodge. Here, you can participate in a cooking class to learn about local dishes, before taking bicycles to explore the area and take part in activities like knitting water hyacinth, making rice paper cake, and crafting nail polish tools from bamboo. After visiting the local villagers’ houses, you’ll drive to Can Tho, the capital of the Mekong Delta Region, where you can spend the night.

✓ Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Boat cruise and breakfast, arrival Cai Rang floating market, visit to Vinh Trang Pagoda

After a boat cruise and breakfast, you will arrive at Cai Rang floating market in the Mekong Delta. This will give you a glimpse of the rural lifestyle of the Delta region during your Vietnam travel. On your return to Ho Chi Minh City, you can take a short detour to visit the Vinh Trang pagoda. This renowned pagoda features a blend of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Angkor styles, spread across a 2-hectare block and housing 178 pillars and a number of valuable statues, the most noteworthy being the 18 arahant statues carved from wood in 1907. Spending time here will help you understand the relationship between Vietnamese art and Buddhist beliefs. You will arrive back in Ho Chi Minh City in the late afternoon, with ample time to freshen up in the hotel.

✓ Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Free time, noon flight to Hue, Imperial Citadel of Hue and Dong Ba Market, leisure time and dinner

You will have the morning free until your car and driver come to take you to Tan Son Nhat airport for your noon flight to Hue. Upon arriving, our guide will meet you and take you to the impressive Imperial Citadel of Hue and the Dong Ba market. Afterwards, you will have the rest of the day to yourself. In the evening, you will be treated to a dinner at a ‘garden house’, where the owner will provide a meal made up of classic Hue cuisine. Garden houses are special in Hue, as they are privately owned and built in a formal garden setting. Many of them have connections to the old Royal Imperial Court and adhere to the traditional architecture style of blending with the natural environment. Along the narrow streets and with their abundance of plants, the garden house area gives off a tranquil countryside village feel.

✓ Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Travel to Thuan An Market, boat to Tam Giang lagoon. Visit traditional fishing village, visit Thien Mu Pagoda and Emperor Minh Mang’s Tomb

Today, during your holiday to Vietnam, you’ll set off on a journey starting in the South-east of Hue to Thuan An market. Afterwards, you’ll board a boat to explore Tam Giang lagoon. After that, a drive down a country road will take you to a small village where the locals dry their fish the traditional way, weather permitting. After that, you’ll make your way back to Hue City for lunch. With your bellies full, you’ll be ready to visit the majestic Thien Mu Pagoda and Emperor Minh Mang’s Tomb. Built shortly after the Emperor’s death, this structure is an example of classic Sino-Vietnamese architecture. It showcases the opulence and extravagance of the Emperor, who was a follower of Confucianism and had many wives and children.

✓ Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8: Free morning, noon flight to Hanoi. Sample and explore street foods and sightseeing.

Your morning is free until your driver arrives to take you to the airport for a noon flight to Hanoi. When you land, you will be greeted by our guide and driven to your hotel in the city centre. Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son temple, Hang Be (Dong Xuan) market, and the bustling Old Quarter are all popular attractions and must-sees for visitors, although the area can be noisy and hectic. Today, you will get to sample and explore different street foods and snacks such as Banh Cuon (fresh rice pancake cooked on site and wrapped with mushroom and meat), Bun Cha (fresh rice noodle with grilled pork belly), and/or Sinh To (mixed tropical fruit). To end your day, you can visit a small local café tucked away in a small alley in the Old Quarter, renowned for its view of Hoan Kiem Lake and its type of Vietnamese coffee.

✓ Breakfast

Day 9: Guided tour of Hanoi, including lunch, and free time in afternoon to explore

Today is an adventure to explore Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city. Your guide will take you to the Temple of Literature, which dates to the 11th century. You’ll also visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, his simple stilt house, and the museum in his honour. Lunch will be at the ‘Cha Ca La Vong’ restaurant, where you can sample the famous Ca Lang dish. Afterward, you’ll have a chance to visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest in Hanoi, on the banks of the Ho Tay Lake. Afterwards, you’ll have the rest of the afternoon to wander around Hanoi’s Old Quarter and its French colonial buildings and boulevards. To round off the day, why not enjoy a coffee or cocktail at the bar of the Sofitel Metropole Hotel before choosing dinner?

✓ Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10: Board the Dragon Legend Cruise, cruise to Thien Canh Son Cave for swimming, kayaking and relaxing, then Tra San for Mineral Seawater Pool

After breakfast, you’ll embark on the Dragon Legend Cruise and enjoy a journey through Bai Tu Long Bay, an area as stunning as Halong Bay, according to many travellers. You’ll cruise to Thien Canh Son cave in Cong Do and then relax on the white sandy beach of Hon Co Island, where you can enjoy swimming, kayaking, and other activities. Afterwards, you’ll cruise to Tra San and enjoy the Mineral Seawater Pool, Fitness Room, and Spa and Massage Services (Spa and Massage Services are excluded) before dinner. The Dragon Legend Cruise will spend the night in Tra San, a quiet, secluded area.

For your two-day Ha Long excursion, you’ll board the Dragon Legend Junk, the newest member of the Indochina Junk fleet. Featuring 24 spacious, wood-panelled cabins luxuriously designed for your comfort, it also has 4 decks with both indoor and outdoor restaurants, a spa, bar, sundeck, and other entertainment options. The 26.5 sq.m cabins are furnished with traditional Vietnamese art from different regions in the country, and the 9 sq.m bathrooms come with bathtubs for a soothing seawater or freshwater treatment. Two of the cabins are connected, perfect for families. All meals, usually based on fresh seafood, are provided and kayaking is included in the price. Bai Tu Long Bay, located further east of Halong Bay, offers an exceptional scale and variety of geological rock formations, making it a great destination for cruising in the Gulf of Tonkin.

✓ Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 11: Morning Tai Chi on deck, visit to Vung Vieng fishing village via rowboat, return to Hanoi

Start your day by joining the Taichi session on the large sundeck (beginners welcome!). After your morning workout, you’ll enjoy a delicious breakfast before heading to Vung Vieng fishing village via a rustic rowboat. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to meet the local people as well as explore the floating school and fish farms. As lunch is served, you’ll cruise back to the harbour, arriving around noon. You will then be picked up and returned to Hanoi.

✓ Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12: Free time until transfer to airport for departure flight

Once you’re done with breakfast, you’ll have nothing else to do until your chauffeur shows up to take you to Noi Bai airport for your flight out. We hope you enjoyed your travel throughout Vietnam!

✓ Breakfast