Vietnam Culinary Discovery 8 Days/ 7nights

Day 1: Hanoi – arrival (D)

 

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam since the 11th century dazzles visitors its unique blend of oriental lifestyle, French colonial architecture, tree-lined boulevards and peaceful lakes. Still retaining a charming air from its colonial days, visitors are often impressed with the quietness and subtle beauty of Hanoi. Upon arrival, you are picked up and transferred to hotel check in and leisure. Dinner at famous Ngon restaurant with many specialties of Vietnam. Overnight in Hanoi.

 

Day 2: Hanoi street eat – city tour (B/L/D)

 

After breakfast, visit the Literature Temple and Quoc Tu Giam - Vietnam's first University constructed in 1070. Its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past. Discover the Old Quarter of Hanoi by cyclo. This fascinating are of narrow alleys and shop houses is also called “36 streets”.

 

Then, we enjoy the street food tour from 11.30 a.m to 2.30 p.m. The tour begins with an introduction to the local food scene over a hearty bowl of pho; noodle soup, the quintessential Hanoi street food. Then it is off to a bustling local market where your chef will demystify the local produce, and encourage you to taste some of its most exotic ingredients. A further 5 venues are included in the tour and all travel between venus is by taxi or on foot, the tour lasts for 3.5 hours and finishes with a typical Vietnamese ca phe, or che (Vietnamese tea) and local sweets. Your chef and guide will also share some of their favourite eating and shopping secrets in Ha Noi for you to explore furth. Followed by a Water puppet show- the unique Traditional Art in the North of Vietnam. Dinner with “Cha Ca La Vong”, the Hanoi speciality food with attracting people all over the world and The MSNBC News listed in guide book named “10 places to see before you die”. Overnight in Hanoi.

 

Day 3: Hanoi – Halong (170km, 3.0 hours drive) (B/L/D)

 

After breakfast, depart for Halong Bay and take in the lush scenery as you drive through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta. Hop aboard a traditional wooden junk and sail out into this UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll marvel at all the weird and wonderful dramatic limestone karst formations rising form the crystal water. According to legend, they were formed as a dragon descended to the sea.

Take a swim and spend the night up on deck chatting away under the starlit sky. A little piece of paradise found and definitely one of Vietnam’s highlights. Overnight on board.

 

Day 4: Halong – Hanoi –Hoi An (1 hour flight) (B/L/D)

 

Greet the day with a morning Tai Chi session on the sun deck and take the opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. Visit a beautiful Surprise Cave then head back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay and a buffet brunch while cruising back to the dock. Back to Hanoi for a flight to Danang, then transfer to Hoi An. Dinner at Fullmoon restaurant – a miniature of Hoi An ancient town with the style of pastoral decoration. The culinary characteric of Vietnam cuisine in the 300 year ancient houses. Overnight in Hoi An.

 

Day 5: Hoi An cooking class (B/L/D)

 

We start the day (8am) with a welcome drink at Hai Café – our meeting point.

Travel by minivan (10 mins) to Tra Que Organic Village, and walk through the market gardens where local farmers work their fields using the traditional methods of hundreds of years ago - no electrical machinery here. We pick fresh saw-tooth coriander and Vietnamese mint for our cooking lesson later, before trying a special herbal drink at a local home.

To the local village market and with shopping list in hand we purchase a range of local ingredients, including star anise, cardamom, sesame rice paper, water spinach and banana flower.

Arriving at Red Bridge Cooking School we have a chance to freshen up before beginning our class. Working together with our Red Bridge Chef we learn the traditional ways of preparing and cooking Vietnamese food from scratch. Using the freshest ingredients and traditional Vietnamese utensils (still in use today) we cook 4 famous dishes, including the national dish ‘Pho’.

After the class we sit down and a chance to savour the dishes we have prepared.
Leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River back to central Hoi An.

Dinner at a local Hoi An Restaurant. Hoi An’s niest one with a lush landscaped garden in a wonderful riverside French colonial house. Free at leisure and explore Hoi An night on your own way. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 6: Hoi An city – Saigon (B/L/D)

 

Take a journey through the enchanting streets of Hoi An ancient town with their numerous art and crafts shops and tailors. The town's heritage is quite multicultural, the architecture a fusion of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European influences. You will visit a traditional ancient house, the Hoi An Museum, and a Chinese Assembly Hall. Also visit the town's emblem, the Japanese Covered Bridge, which was originally built in the mid 16th century and which, along with the numerous Chinese assembly halls, helps to give Hoi An a cosmopolitan feel.

After lunch, check out from Hoi An and depart for Ho Chi Minh city, still called Saigon by local people. Dinner while cruising on Saigon River. Overnight in Saigon.

 

Day 7: Ho Chi Minh city & cooking class (B/ L/D)

 

Start with a walk along Dong Khoi Street and visit the most prominent French colonial structures in the city centre including the Municipal Theatre, City Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office with its ochre and white walls, dark wood and painted maps showing telecommunications in late 19th century Indochina making it one of the best preserved colonial style buildings in Asia. You will then travel to the site of the impressive Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum. Continue to Red Door Deco where you can find luxurious and second-to-none gifts for your friends and relatives or something as a decoration for your house or workplace. After lunch at a nice restaurant, we have a short leisure before joining a cooking class where you can learn the secrets of local Cuisine with our English speaking Vietnamese Chef. The emphasis is on seasonal traditional food which both tastes and looks delicious but is simple to prepare and recreate at home.

For a warm and fun ambiance, participants cook all together with our Chef but everyone has their own material and ingredients for a better understanding of cooking techniques. You will use Vietnamese kitchenware to cook and enjoy a tasty 3 courses meal. To end on a sweet touch, we will take care to complete this meal with a delicious seasonal dessert.

During the class you can just concentrate on the pleasure of discovering and cooking, we will gladly provide you all detailed recipes at the end. Overnight in Saigon.

 

Day 8: Departure Saigon (B)

 

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.