Vietnamese’s Culinary Journey

Welcome to Vietnam! Our local tour guide will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport and it takes us 35 minutes driving to the centre of Hanoi to check-in hotel. It’s then your own time to relax after a long haul flight. In the afternoon, have an overall view of the capital by a “cyclo” visit, which starts around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, stop at Ngoc Son temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Sword” Lake), and at Quan Thanh Taoist temple.
Late afternoon we will enjoy a unique fascinating show of Water Puppetry, a traditional stage art of Northern Vietnam. Dinner is at your own arrangment for flexibility. Overnight in Hanoi.
Please note: Hotel check-in time is from 14.00 and check-out time is from 12:00.
Early check-in/ Late check-out is subject to hotel’s availability.

Overnight: Hanoi

Breakfast at hotel. Today, we will take time to visit Duong Lam ancient village – about 65 km 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. Visit the ancient houses producing local specialties, such as soft green-lentil cake and rice cake filled with brown onion (depending onthe season), especiall learn about 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.
After lunch with local family in local style, transfer back to your hotel in Hanoi. Step off the beaten track and go through the maze of Hanoi to seek real authentic food with food blogger, 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).
• Our 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. Come back your hotel and dinner is at your own arrangment for flexibility. Overnight in Hanoi

Overnight: Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast& Lunch

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 and check out, we will head to Halong Bay, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO since 1994 and 2006, and check-in our 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 then take your free time for night activities. Overnight onboard. Please note that program is subject to change upon the cruise selected and actual weather condition

Overnight: Halong
Meals: All Meals

Suggested flight: VN1545 HANHUI 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 while returning to the wharf. Disembark the cruise and transfer by bus to Noi Bai airport for your short flight to Hue. Upon arrival in Hue, welcomed by the local tour guide and transferred to the city center to check in hotel. Dinner is at your own arrangment for flexibility. Overnight in Hue.

Overnight: Hue
Meals: Breakfast

Being recognized by UNESCO as the 1st Cultural World Heritage for Vietnam, Hue is highlighted by the old royal architectural works and the most traditional Vietnamese lifestyle. Today, we will discover the charm of the city rom the Royal Citadel, Forbidden City, Hue Royal Museum and Dong Ba bustling market. Lunch is at your own arrangement for flexibility. Afternoon, go on to Thien Mu pagoda then visit the Tombs of King Minh Mang – the  best-reserved monuments of the Nguyen Emperors since early 19th and early 20th centuries. Evening, have a Royal dinner at Royal Park 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 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.

Overnight: Hue
Meals: Breakfast& Dinner

After breakfast, transfer to the pier to take a boat to discover Tam Giang Lagoon, the most wonderful lagoon in Vietnam. Get experience daily life of local people, fishermen and enjoy spectacular view in Tam Giang Lagoon, relax and experience fresh air, peaceful atmosphere here. Visit Thai Duong Ha village, being an accident fishing village that has hundreds of years in history. Then continue with fish market which is busy all day long. At the market, travelers will experience bustling life of fishermen and traders. From Tam Giang Lagoon, all types of fish, shrimps, crabs… will be brought to other markets in the whole areas around Hue province in Vietnam. Continue to visit 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. Lunch at local family in the very local Vietnamese style. Dinner is at your own arrangment for flexibility. Overnight in Hue.

Overnight: Hue
Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at hotel and check out. This morning, take your journey from Hue to Hoi An via the magnificent “Ocean Cloudy” Pass today. On the way, we can stop to visit the Lang Co Beach and Marble Mt., and contemplate wonderful seascape from the mountaintop halfway thru the Pass. Arrive at hotel in Hoi An and check in. In the afternoon, together with our guide in Hoian, we’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 we 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 & Dinner is at your own arrangment for flexibility. Overnight in Hoi An.

Overnight: Hoi An
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, ride 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 ... After your morning excursions and lunch, you learn how to harvest and wrap the vegetables. Lunch at local family with local style. Bid farewell to your host family before heading straight to airport for your onwards flight to Saigon. Upon arrival, our local tour guide will welcome you at airport and transfer to check in hotel. Dinner is at your own arrangment for flexibility. Overnight in Saigon.

Overnight: Saigon
Meals: Breakfast &Lunch

After breakfast, we will visit War Crime Museum, telling the story of war from the Vietnamese perspective and exhibiting photographs, machinery, and weapons that depict the harsh realities of war. Continue to 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. Then move to 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. Lunch is on your own arrangement for more flexibility before starting our city tour in the afternoon. Our first stop will be 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. Dinning in the dark at The Noir: it is more than just a meal. It is a sensory journey that will make you re-eveluate your perception of taste and smell. Be one of the first or try this one-of-a-kind dinning experience for a unique date or group outing Saigon. Overnight in Saigon.

Overnight: Saigon
Meals: Breakfast& Dinner

After breakfast, head out of Saigon to visit Cu Chi tunnels, 70 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. This network of tunnels, which stretched for over 200km, is one of the most famous and historical aspects of the Viet Nam War. Upon arrival, watch a short introductory documentary before follow our 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, we have a chances to taste with salt boiled cassava beans – foods common in Cu Chi tunnels. Cassava and tapioca is boiled in Hoang Cam stove flues with underground pipes. After sightseeing, return to the city centre. At leisure in the rest of the day. Lunch & Dinner is at your own arrangment for flexibility.Overnight in Saigon.

Overnight: Saigon
Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at hotel and check out. As we should reach the floating market in Cai Be as early as possible today, try your best to start in Ho Chi Minh at 07.00am and travel southwest for nearly 3 hours, passing the Mekong delta, which makes Vietnam the 2ndWorld Rice Exporter, and reach Vinh Long province which is famous for tropical fruits in the Mekong Delta. Upon arrival at Cai Be, board our boat along the market to enjoy trading activities of the peasants of the Mekong Delta, who travel to the market in the boats full of fruits and farming products. Visit family factories and orchards and taste some juicy tropical fruits. Lunch in a charming old-styled house or in a garden house on an island between visits. Continue to have a small cooking setion with a local cake named “Bánh lá mít” – Smile of Mekong. It is a simple cake made from flour and wrapped in jackfruit leaves. Lunch & Dinner is at your own arrangment for flexibility.Overnight in Can Tho.

Overnight: Can Tho
Meals: Breakfast

Start from Ninh Kieu boat quay, where we cruise along the small and picturesque canels and stop to see the Cai Rang floating market (the nicest one with heaps of rowing boats). We stop to enjoy the beautiful scenery and the daily activities of the locals who lives along the Mekong canals. Walk through the village to visit a rice husking mill and a rice/noodle shop, where we observe how it is made. Take a return to your hotel for breakfast and check out. Then transfer back to Saigon to take your departure flight. Lunch & Dinner is at your own arrangement for flexibility. End of services! Please note: Hotel check-out time is at 12:00.

Meals: Breakfast

                                                                                             End tour with happy memories