365 TRAVEL
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Vietnam Culinary Discovery

19 days
Styles:
Tour code:
VN19D08

Vietnam cuisines is all about the balance, so does this tour.  Street food or fine dining, local market or cooking classes, just to name a few. A flavor of local dishes packed with visits to cultural sites to create a perfect taste for your Vietnam trip. Begin in Hanoi, the capital noted for its various street food to the frontier town of Sapa where you will sample unique cuisines of ethnic minority. Then continue to visit 3 UNESCO Heritage Sites including Halong Bay, Hue and Hoi An with an abundance of knowledge about an old Vietnam while testing your cooking skill in some outstanding dishes. Move on to Nha Trang, relax on tropical beaches or join in various watersports before visit Da Lat, a romantic getaway from the hustle and bustle. On the bustling streets of Saigon, see the contrast between the old and the new that co-exist together, the past with striking French architectures and the present filled with modern skyscrapers and sizzling life. And a visit to the well-known tunnel network of Cu Chi will make you relieve the war and embrace your life in peace today. The trip come to a pleasant end in Mekong Delta, rice bowl of Vietnam with chances to taste fresh fruits. Let your stomach ready!

 


Full itinerary

DAY
1
Hanoi Arrival
Meals:

On arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are met and transferred to hotel. Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, is a stylish and gracious city that retains an old unique world charm and some Asia’s most striking colonial architecture. The many lakes and parks make for relaxing atmosphere.

Dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY
2
Hanoi – Sapa (B/L/D)
Meals:

Morning, we enjoy a full day city tour starting with the Vietnam museum of ethnology, dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. Next, we follow this trip to Ho Chi Minh Complex, containing the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. This complex also comprises the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city. Then to the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam. 

Lunch at local restaurant (included in tour price).

Afternoon, we embark on the first of our culinary adventures at our cooking class at KOTO restaurant – an amazing project aimed at providing vocational training and experience in the hospitality industry for underprivileged young people. All the staff you meet at this café have come from poor backgrounds. Here you learn about the differences in the northern Vietnamese food, which is less spicy and relies more on its natural flavors than that of the center and south. After the class we sit down to savor the dishes we prepared. Free at leisure until transfer to railway station for train to Lao Cai.  

Overnight on the train.

DAY
3
Lao Cai – Sapa – Catcat (B/L)
Meals:

Arrival Lao Cai station and breakfast at local restaurant in Lao Cai, then transfer by car to Sapa for check-in. Same morning visit the Minority Village where ethnic minority people are in various styles of traditional dress - indigo tunics and leggings, elaborate pleated skirts, sliver-studded jackets. The first sightseeing is Cat Cat minority village where you will have a new understanding to these minorities and experience the unique lifestyle. Lunch at local restaurant (included in tour price).

Afternoon, take a stroll to the local market to see the various local fresh produce and handicrafts for sale, you will continue to trek across wooden bridges tucked away in the valley to view the hidden Silver Waterfall. Evening, you will sample the local minority cuisine during suggested dinner at a Yao ethnic minority restaurant (dinner at leisure not included in tour price) where the waiters are decked in the traditional Yao costume. Overnight in Sapa.

DAY
4
Sapa – Ta Van – Lao Cai (B/L)
Meals:

In the morning, visit its mystic rock formations (HAM RONG MOUNTAIN), rare orchids and flowers, enjoy the minority show performed by the young minority women and man, overview the whole picture of Sapa town in the clear day as well as visit the so-called “stone forest” here. Lunch at local restaurant (included in tour price), then take a 6-km drive to Lao Chai, Ta Van village. Lying in a hillside meadow, it is home to Dzay and Dzao people

Free at leisure until transfer to railway station for train to Hanoi.

Dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight on the train.

DAY
5
Sapa – Lao Cai - Halong (B/L/D)
Meals:

Arrival Hanoi in early morning, transfer to local restaurant for breakfast with Vietnamese coffee.

Then, departure to Halong bay. It’s about 170km Northeast of Hanoi. Arrive at the jetty in Halong City towards noon and proceed with check-in formalities. Be welcome onboard and have 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 on Halong bay.

DAY
6
Halong – Hanoi (Brunch)
Meals:

Morning, free at leisure until transfer to airport for domestic flight to Hue.

Arrival in Hue, meet with your guide and transfer to visit Hue Citadel - Vietnam’s former imperial capital and recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. With an area of 500ha and a system of three circles of ramparts, namely from outside to inside: Kinh Thanh Hue (Hue Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel) and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel) and Khai Dinh Tomb _ In comparison with those of the preceding emperors, Khai Dinh’s tomb is much smaller in surface (117m x 48.5m) but it is very elaborate. It is the result of the interminglement of many architectural trends: European and Asian, as well as ancient and modern. Stop at Dong Ba market for shopping.

Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Hue.

DAY
7
Hanoi – Hue (B/L)
Meals:

Morning, free at leisure until transfer to airport for domestic flight to Hue.

Arrival in Hue, meet with your guide and transfer to visit Hue Citadel - Vietnam’s former imperial capital and recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. With an area of 500ha and a system of three circles of ramparts, namely from outside to inside: Kinh Thanh Hue (Hue Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel) and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel) and Khai Dinh Tomb _ In comparison with those of the preceding emperors, Khai Dinh’s tomb is much smaller in surface (117m x 48.5m) but it is very elaborate. It is the result of the interminglement of many architectural trends: European and Asian, as well as ancient and modern. Stop at Dong Ba market for shopping.

Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Hue.

DAY
8
Hue – Da Nang – Hoi An (B/L)
Meals:

Morning, enjoy a boat ride on the Perfume River, which divides the city and for centuries has been the inspiration for artists and poets alike. Visit Thien Mu Pagoda and Minh Mang Tomb. Lunch at leisure (not included in tour price) then transfer to Hue and stop at Hai Van pass to sightseeing and photography then procced to Hoi An. Hoi An ancient town _ lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th century and was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. Hoi An has a distinctive Chinese atmosphere with low, tiled-roof houses and narrow streets. The houses were constructed of rare timbers and decorated with lacquer panels engraved with Chinese characters. There are plenty to see in this tranquil and delightful town, some of which are the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200 years old Tan Ky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda and the vibrant market.  Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

DAY
9
Hoi An (B/L)
Meals:

Today is a full day cooking tour where we get to learn more about Vietnamese cooking while immersing ourselves in the daily life of the local people. We travel to Tra Que Village and walk through the market gardens where local farmers work their fields. Here we pick fresh saw-tooth coriander and Vietnamese mint for our cooking lesson, before trying a special herbal drink at a local home. Our next stop is to the local village's market and, with shopping list in hand, we purchase a range of local ingredients including cardamom, sesame rice paper and banana flower. On arrival at Red Bridge Cooking School we learn the traditional ways of preparing and cooking Vietnamese food, using the freshest ingredients and traditional Vietnamese utensils. After the class we sit down to savour the dishes we prepared.

Our trip back to Hoi An town is a leisurely cruise by sampan along the river to explore the Hoi An countryside including the Thanh Ha earthenware village. During a free afternoon you can enjoy a bicycle ride in the countryside or relax at the nearby Cua Dai Beach.

Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

 

DAY
10
Hoi An – Da Nang – Nha Trang (B)
Meals:

Morning, we drive to Da Nang city to visit Cham museum _ built in 1915 with the financial support of the French Far-East Research Institute in Vietnam. This museum houses the most extensive collection of Cham art worldwide then transfer to airport for flight to Nha Trang.

Arrival Nha Trang, which now has a population of 280.000 was constructed as a seaport in the 1920s. It is the capital of Khanh Hoa province. Meet our tour guide and transfer to hotel for check in. Lunch at leisure (not included in the tour price). Afternoon, take a short city tour to visit Cham tower and around area then continues to visit Cham Por Nagar Towel, Oceanique Institute, Hon Chong Promotory. The tour end after visit local Dam market.

Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Nha Trang.

DAY
11
Nha Trang (B/L)
Meals:

Morning, meet and transfer to Cau Da Jetty for a full day boat cruise to Tam islet and Mun Islet. The water is clear and the marine life is diverse for snorkeling and sunbathing. Optional activities include scuba diving, jet skiing, wind surfing & parasailing on Tam Islet. Lunch at local restaurant on Island (included in the tour price).

Afternoon, free at leisure for relaxing at Nha Trang Beach.

Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Nha Trang.

DAY
12
Nha Trang – Dalat (B/L)
Meals:

Morning, transfer to Dalat - a city of cool climate and romantic landscape with mountain, pine hills, waterfalls, flower gardens and ethnic minority villages, an ideal place for golfing. On the way, the group will stop somewhere to take a photograph the Vietnam's countryside, local flower garden. Lunch at local restaurant (included in tour price)

Arrival Dalat, transfer to hotel for check in and free at leisure.

Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Dalat.

DAY
13
Dalat(B/L)
Meals:

Full day Dalat city tour to visit Buddhist Meditation Monastery, Paradise lake, Chicken village (minority), Flower garden, Bao Dai’s summer palace, Crazy house and Valley of love. Lunch at local restaurant.

Late afternoon, free at leisure for sightseeing and shopping at Dalat Market. Overnight at hotel in Da Lat
DAY
14
Dalat - Ho Chi Minh (B/L)
Meals:

Morning, drive to Cu Chi, visit the amazing complex of underground tunnels at Cu Chi. There are more than 200 km of underground tunnels, comprising a main axis system with many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters and other tunnels. The tunnels are between 0.5 to 1m wide, just enough space for a person to walk along by bending or dragging. However, parts of the tunnels have been modified to accommodate visitors. The upper soil layer is between 3 to 4m thick and can support the weight of a 50-ton tank and the damage of light cannons and bombs. The underground network provided sleeping quarters, meeting rooms, hospitals, and other social rooms. Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels provides a better understanding of the prolonged resistance war of the Vietnamese people and also of the persistent and clever character of the Vietnamese nation. Lunch at local restaurant (included in the tour price).

Afternoon, half day city tour to visit the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975 and the War Remnant, before we continue to the bustling Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sale.  Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price).

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY
15
Ho Chi Minh – Cu Chi (B/L)
Meals:

Morning, drive to Cu Chi, visit the amazing complex of underground tunnels at Cu Chi. There are more than 200 km of underground tunnels, comprising a main axis system with many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters and other tunnels. The tunnels are between 0.5 to 1m wide, just enough space for a person to walk along by bending or dragging. However, parts of the tunnels have been modified to accommodate visitors. The upper soil layer is between 3 to 4m thick and can support the weight of a 50-ton tank and the damage of light cannons and bombs. The underground network provided sleeping quarters, meeting rooms, hospitals, and other social rooms. Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels provides a better understanding of the prolonged resistance war of the Vietnamese people and also of the persistent and clever character of the Vietnamese nation. Lunch at local restaurant (included in the tour price).

Afternoon, half day city tour to visit the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975 and the War Remnant, before we continue to the bustling Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sale.  Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price).

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY
16
Ho Chi Minh – Vinhlong – Can Tho (B/L)
Meals:

Morning, meet and transfer to Vinh Long, a town located along the bank of Mekong river. What make the trip to Vinh Long is so worthwhile is not only the town itself, but also the beautiful small islands in the river. A boat trip will bring you to the popular spots for tourist – Binh Hoa Phuoc island where land is totally given over to agriculture, especially the raising of tropical fruits. Lunch at local restaurant (included in tour price)

Afternoon, transfer to Can Tho and free at leisure. 

Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Can Tho.

DAY
17
Can Tho – Chau Doc (B/L)
Meals:

Morning, boat trip on the Mekong river to visit Cai Rang floating market, you also have the opportunity to watch local villagers producing rice paper, pop-rice and rice husking.

Lunch at local restaurant (included in tour price).

Afternoon, transfer by car from Can Tho to Chau Doc. On the way, our client will stop to visit by boat to the Bang Lang stork sanctuary in Thot Not, which also offers the view of the local people vivid life on the water. Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Chau Doc.

DAY
18
Chau Doc – Ho Chi Minh (B/L)
Meals:

Morning, transfer to visit Sam mountain, Lady Xu Temple, Thoai Ngoc Hau Temple, floating fish farm and boat trip to Cham Pa Village. Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon, free at leisure until drive back Ho Chi Minh.

Dinner at leisure (not included in the tour price). Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh.

DAY
19
Ho Chi Minh – Departure (B)
Meals:

Free at leisure until transfer to the airport for flight departure.

Price & booking

Package Prices ($) (From 01/10 To 31/12)

Tour package1 Pax2 Pax3-4 Pax5-6 Pax7-9 pax10-15 PaxS/s 
Economy341125112206193618891603644Book a pack
Deluxe4040314028362565251822311230Book a pack
Luxury4716381835133241319429081949Book a pack

Package Prices ($) (From 01/01 To 30/04)

Tour package1 Pax2 Pax3-4 Pax5-6 Pax7-9 pax10-15 PaxS/s 
Economy341125112206193618891603644Book a pack
Deluxe4040314028362565251822311230Book a pack
Luxury4716381835133241319429081949Book a pack

Package Prices ($) (From 01/05 To 30/09)

Tour package1 Pax2 Pax3-4 Pax5-6 Pax7-9 pax10-15 PaxS/s 
Economy318922942008174817151521625Book a pack
Deluxe3891299627102450241822231284Book a pack
Luxury4619372434383178314529511981Book a pack

What's included

  • Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast (Based on Twin Sharing). 
  • (Tour price for 1pax travelling based on single room already)   
  • Private transportation and tours with English speaking guide. 
  • Package 2D/1N at Victory cruise, Victory Star or Paradise cruise in Halong Bay.  
  • Private board for sightseeing in Hue, Hoi An, Mekong Delta (Vinh Long, Can Tho and Chau Doc)
  • Domestic Air tickets & domestic airport tax for flight from Hanoi (HAN) to Hue (HUI) and from Da Nang (DAN) to Nha Trang (CXR) 
  • Entrances fees + sightseeing as indicated. 
  • Fees for cooking classes 
  • Meals (Vietnamese food) at local restaurant as specified in the program. 
  • Bottle of water available on coach (02 bottles/ pax/ day)

What's excluded

  • Vietnam visa fee currently US$25 / pax payable upon arrival 
  • International Air tickets & International airport tax departure. 
  • Personal expenses such as drinks at meals, camera fees to tour sites. 
  • All other accounts are not mentioned in the above inclusion.
  • Tipping for guide and driver
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