Vietnamese food tour in 12 delightful days

At 8.30 am our guide will meet you in the foyer of the hotel to discuss the day’s itinerary.  Your tour will be tailored to meet your interests and energy levels. Beginning at the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (outsides only) to pay respects to Uncle Ho and learn about his incredible life.  The tour then continues to the nearby Presidential Gardens and One Pillar Pagoda.

You can then choose two places from the following; Temple of Literature, Fine Arts Museum, Hoa Lo prison, Military Museum and the Ethnology Museum. This is a full-day tour, so the day is yours to fill as you please. Lunch will be served with Hanoi Pho (noodles with beef or chicken).

After lunch, you will pay a visit to a local coffee shop called Hidden Gem Coffee Shop to learn how to recycle things from unused or second-hand items. Located on a small valley off Hang Tre – Hanoi Old Quarter, 95 percent of the items here have been recycled. Discarded wheels, wheel parts, and plastic items have been turned into interior decorations. The aim of this activity is to protect the environment. A cup of traditional Vietnamese coffee, especially coffee with eggs, is highly recommended there.

In the late afternoon, you start your walking tour at Hanoi’s largest covered market, Dong Xuan. Along the perimeter of the market, dozens of street hawkers sell a staggering variety of produce, from live seafood to exotic fruits and spices. Your expert English-speaking local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture, including details on the ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes.

As Vietnamese cuisine continues to take the world by storm, Hanoi is one of the leading street food destinations in the world. We will take you to the best spots for the best dishes and tell you a little bit about the history of the dishes, how they are prepared, and about food, farming, and produce in Vietnam in general. Afterwards, take some recipes home and learn to wow your friends!

With a better understanding of Hanoi street food, return to the hotel.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Ha Noi Pho Beef

The scenery of Halong Bay, where thousands of limestone islands jut out of the emerald sea, sculpted into bizarre shapes, is truly an iconic image of Vietnam. An overnight boat trip is the best way to enjoy this Vietnamese must-see. For your tour to Ha Long Bay, you only need to take some essential items and leave your main luggage at the hotel. Bring your swimsuit, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, toiletries, change of clothes, something warm for the winter months, a book or journal, etc. And don’t forget your camera.

After breakfast, you are transferred through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta to the legendary Halong Bay. It takes you 3 hours, including a 20-minute stop on the way.

Arrive at the jetty in Halong City towards noon and proceed with check-in formalities. After a welcome onboard, lunch will be served while cruising towards the bay itself. In the afternoon, enjoy some visits and/or activities (depending on each boat’s itinerary) or just spend some time relaxing on board.

Towards the end of the day, the boat sets anchor for the night among the karst formations. Dinner is served on board.

Overnight in Halong Bay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Ha Long Bay kayaking

The sun rises on Ha Long Bay in the morning, and breakfast is served.

You will take part in some activities on board (depending on each boat’s itinerary). Brunch is served while the vessel cruises slowly back towards port. Disembard and transfer back to Hanoi.

In the afternoon, a Hanoi cooking class is waiting for you. We will pick you up from your hotel and meet your culinary mentor. After a trip to a local market to buy your ingredients, spend the afternoon learning traditional cooking methods as you make a range of signature Hanoi dishes and, of course, get to enjoy the fruit of your labour! Here you will get the family handed- down recipes and tips which cannot be found in books or else where. Moreover, you will be inspired to cook by the enthusiastic and energetic people here. We have classes covering the most popular and favoured Vietnamese dishes and alternatives that will cater to all your desires.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner.

Today you are free to explore Hanoi until our private drivers transfer you to the airport for your short flight from Hanoi to Hue. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in, which will take approximately 30 minutes.

Famously being one of Vietnam’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Imperial City of Hue has long been a must-see attraction for tourists visiting the hidden charm of Vietnam.

In the late afternoon, experience the cuisine and food of Hue. We offer the most interesting and informative food tour, with selected flavorful, colorful, and extremely local foods.

We start by taking individual cyclos, driven by a dedicated team of experienced drivers, and crossing over the historical Trang Tien bridge to visit the colorful Dong Ba market, where you can see many of the ingredients for making Hue local food and explore the local business life.

Continuing on cyclos along busy streets, we explore the daily life of Hue; riding around the royal palace, and take pictures at beautiful Hue sites and listening to their stories.

During the tour, we will stop at many famous street restaurants to sample a lot of Hue local street food dishes, taste many kinds of Hue street food: Hue pancake (Banh Khoai), Hue beef vermicelli soup (Bun Bo Hue), filtered tapioca dumplings (Banh Loc), steamed rice discs topped with shrimp (Banh Beo), sticky rice dumplings on a fried dumpling (Ram It), steamed flat rice dumplings (Banh Nam), Hue wet rice paper (Banh Uot)….

Overnight in Hue.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

Hue Dong Ba market street foods

At 8.30am, our guide will meet you at your hotel and introduce you to our highly skilled and qualified drivers, who are sensitive to tentative pillion passengers and will travel at a gentle pace of 40km or less. After a safety briefing, your adventure begins. During the tour, you will ride through little laneways, beside canals, and through local markets; visit a king’s tomb, a pagoda, and local handicrafts. During your journey, you will visit Hue’s Citadel and the forbidden Purple City and learn about Vietnam’s emperors and their intriguing histories. Lunch is a delicious traditional Buddhist banquet served at a pagoda. This is a truly action-packed day of scenery, history, culture, and cuisine.

You have the option of joining this tour by private air-conditioned vehicle.

Overnight in Hue.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Hue daily life

At 8.30am you will depart Hue to begin your 160km journey to Hoi An travelling through coastal rice paddies to the fishing village of Lang Co, before taking the scenic mountainous route over the spectacular Hai Van Pass. You will climb to 496 m (1,627 ft) on a road quoted in the Top Gear Program as “a deserted ribbon of perfection—one of the best coast roads in the world.”

Visit Marble Mountains – a cluster of five marble and limestone hills located in Ngu Hanh Son Dist, south of Da Nang city. The five karsts (called Ngu Hanh Son in Vietnamese) are named after the five elements: Kim (metal), Thuỷ (water), Mộc (wood), Hoả (fire) and Thổ (earth). Over centuries, the Marble Mountains have held special significance for the people of Central Vietnam. The ancient Cham revered the karsts as a spiritual site, and Vietnamese emperors from Hue and legendary generals passing through paid visits to the peaks, adding to their store of legends.

Arrive in Hoi An at around noon, check in & relax at your hotel.

Hoi An ancient town, was an international trading port in Vietnam from the 16th century. It was also a place on the silk road. Hoi An has beautiful lanterns, ancient town, but is also well known as the paradise of excellent street food. Foods in Hoi An are the perfect blend of all the specialties in different parts of Vietnam and other countries.

At 5:30pm, we will pick you up at your hotel in Hoi An. We will start the Hoi An street food tour at the White Rose restaurant. This is a local business restaurant where we will learn how to make the white rose dumplings and you will enjoy what you just made! This is a unique experience for you to make beautiful and delicious dumplings with your hands.

After that, we will walk to the next place where we will enjoy the number one BBQ in Hoi An. This is the most famous BBQ, also known as the Ba Le Well restaurant, in Hoi An. There are many kinds of local specialties here, such as Banh Xeo (Vietnamese pancakes, spring rolls, salads, grilled pork, shrimp, etc. etc).

The next place on our special itinerary is the best Quang Noodle Soup in Hoi An. This kind of noodle is pretty similar to Pho, but it has a different taste! You will eat Quang noodles with salad, quail eggs, shrimp, and lean pork.

None stopping the tour, we keep walking to the Banh Mi Phuong Shop to enjoy the best Bread sandwich in the world recommended by Anthony Bourdain. You can choose the ingredients to put in the bread.

Last but not least, on our Hoi An street food tour, we will taste the number one Chicken rice Hoi An. The wonderful fried rice is cooked with free-range chicken meat and has a beautiful blend of flavors. After finishing the Hoi An street food tour, we say goodbye to each other and you can explore Hoi An ancient town by night by yourselves!

Overnight in Hoi An.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

Hoi An street foods

We will pick you up at the hotel at around 8:00 – 08:15. First, a trip to the market to purchase some fresh, locally grown herbs.

Then, we board our river boat for a relaxing 30-minute ride to Thuan Tinh Island, which is recognized by Hoi An as an official ecological zone.

From there, we head back to our open-air cooking class, overlooking the coconut trees and river. Our chefs will show you how to make Vietnamese food while you enjoy the cool breeze and peaceful setting.

Our chefs have prepared a 4-course cooking class of traditional Vietnamese dishes. They will demonstrate how to prepare them, and then it’s your turn-you prepare your own tasty Vietnamese lunch. We start with a homemade Passion fruit juice soda to whet your appetite.

After the class, we will drop you off at the hotel at around 2:00pm. End of class.

Menu:

1. Banh Xeo: Crispy Vietnamese Crepes filled with pork and shrimp, bean sprouts, and green onion. Served with lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, and sauces.
2. Bun Bo Nam Bo: herb salad with rice vermicelli and sautee beef, topped with roasted peanuts and hot soy sauce vinaigrette.
3. Pho Bo Hanoi: Beef rice noodle soup infused with beef bones, cinnamon, ginger, and star anise.
4. Goi Cuon: Fresh Rice Paper Salad Rolls with Pork and Shrimp with a Tangy Peanut Hoisin Dipping Sauce.

Free afternoon at your leisure!

Overnight in Hoi An.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Hoi An crispy fried cake cooking class

On a day in paradise, you may choose to lounge by your resort pool, swim at the beach, or indulge in a massage, facial, or pedicure.

For those wanting action, optional activities include a half-day countryside cycling tour; scuba, snorkeling, abseiling, fishing or a photography tour.  We can include any of these in your itinerary.

Cultural options include My Son ancient ruins, a historical walking tour of Hoi An or Marble Mountain.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Meals: Breakfast.

Hoi An An Bang snorkerling

Enjoy a free morning at your leisure until you are transferred to Da Nang airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, you are welcomed by your private tour guide and driver. They will take you to a hotel in the center.

In the late afternoon, be ready for another exciting tour: Back of the bike, street food.

Explore a tasting menu of dining stops that show off the best of the best in Ho Chi Minh City with our Taste of Vietnam Tour.

Experience an incredible night of delicious Vietnamese food with our team of local experts. Immerse yourself in Vietnamese cuisine and culture for a stress-free night out as you zip around the city on the back of a motorbike driven by our English-speaking guides.

We have gone far and wide to find the best foods for you to experience. Whether you’re a “foodie” or not, our tasting menu is created for travellers of all types. This food and culture tour includes stops at five different dining locations. Hop on the back of the bike and experience our Taste of Vietnam tour.

All of our guides are local Vietnamese who know the city like no one else and are enthusiastic about showing off their city. Our guides will pick you up and drop you off for all tours.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

A corner of Ho Chi Minh City - view from a side of river bank

Market visit from 9am till 9:50am

Follow our Chef through the vibrant Ben Thanh market to purchase a selection of ingredients for your cooking lesson. At 9:50am our Chef will bring you back by Taxi to our cooking class.

Hands-on Cooking Class from 10am till 1pm

Take place around our large cooking station to follow our Chef step by step with your own materials and ingredients for a good understanding of cooking techniques.

You will discover Vietnamese kitchenware to cook and enjoy a tasty 3-course meal. MSG, Knorr powder, and enhanced flavors are, of course, forbidden!

We will adapt the menu for people with vegetarians or food allergies. Let us know in advance so we can accommodate you.

Free afternoon at your leisure!

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Steamed Broken Rice Vietnam

After breakfast and a leisurely morning on your own, you will check out by midday as this will mark the end of your 12-day trip to Vietnam Foodie Tour. Your private driver will pick you up and take you back to Tan Son Nhat International airport for your departure flight home.

Meals: Breakfast.

Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Hue Street