Flavor of Vietnam

Right after landing on Noi Bai Airport, Vietsense travel’s tour guide will pick you up and then transfer to the hotel for check in. The rest of the day is free at your leisure. Optional to discover some old Hanoian favorites, your first introduction to Vietnam’s lively culinary scene comes in the form of Bia Hoi (brewed beer). This is a foamy, light beer made fresh each day and served in basic, open-walled ‘brew halls’. Take up a brightly colored plastic chair and sip your tasty brew. Banana flower salad (nom hoa chuoi), barbecued chicken (ga nuong) and fried rice (com rang) are common dishes on the menu. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meals: None

Following a traditional breakfast of pho, a dish that originates in Hanoi and is designed to awaken the senses and prepare you for the day, go on city tour to mausoleum of the historic figure and father of modern Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh (viewed from outside), and visit the former president’s house on stilts where he lived from 1958 to 1969. His former home illustrates the modesty of this Vietnamese revolutionary. Continue to visit the small but iconic One Pillar pagoda. Then, explore the Temple of Literature. In 1076 Quoc Tu Giam – Vietnam’s first university also referred to as Van Mieu, was established within a temple to educate Vietnam’s royalty, mandarins and members of the elite. The university functioned for an incredible 700 years and its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a fascinating glimpse into Vietnam’s past.

Enjoy lunch at a typical restaurant to taste Hanoi food before afternoon trip to take part in a hands-on cooking class in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter also known as the ‘36 streets’. Visit a neighborhood ‘wet’ market to learn about Vietnamese ingredients before proceeding to the home of a true Hanoian who learned her culinary skills from her grandmother, a former chef who once served the French elite, in the 1930’s. After visiting a local market to buy the day’s ingredients, learn how to prepare and cook true northern Vietnamese cuisine before sitting down to enjoy a delectable meal. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Following breakfast, travel by private minibus to the spectacular World Heritage-listed site of Halong Bay. Halong Bay is a secluded harbor with 2,000 limestone islands rising from the turquoise waters of Tonkin Gulf. This is one of Vietnam’s most scenic regions. It spans an area of about 1,500 square kilometers and is dotted with innumerable beaches and grottoes that were created over thousands of years by waves and wind. Spend the night on one of the traditional boats on the bay. There is a chef on board who will guide you how to make some Vietnamese food and observe the fish villages on the bay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy your fresh morning in the middle of the bay, the sun rises on Halong in the morning and breakfast is served (brunch on some boats) while the vessels cruise slowly through the magnificent rock formations and back towards port. Disembark and transfer to Hanoi airport for your flight to Danang.

Meals: Breakfast

Today you will learn about central Vietnamese cuisine and how to prepare it using its signature vegetables, herbs and spices. Start with a guided bicycle tour of the herb gardens of Tra Que Village. At the local market you’ll be introduced to a wealth of produce. After purchasing some ingredients, head back to Hoi An for a hands-on lesson in some classic central Vietnamese dishes. You’ll also pick up some cooking and cutting techniques that will put you in good stead to recreate these dishes at home. Then of course it’s time to feast on your creations. The rest of today is free for you to pick up any made-to-measure items, and then try more delicious food in one of Hoi An’s many acclaimed restaurants for dinner. Overnight in Hoi An.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy a free day to relax, shop or simply stroll around to take in the delightful ambience. The Japanese and Chinese heritage of the town is apparent in many cute old buildings; and the canals, bridges and pagodas make for a tranquil atmosphere. Many travelers call this town their favorite spot in Vietnam. If the weather’s fine, perhaps hit the local beach for a swim (a great way to get there is by bicycle, which you can hire in town). For those who like to start the day nice and early, there is an optional visit to a local fish market. In the evening, perhaps enjoy some seafood by the water, or jump on a boat to enjoy a barbecue feast on a nearby island.

Meals: Breakfast

Today, drive through Danang and climb over the Pass of Ocean Clouds and drop down to the wonderfully photogenic fishing village of Lang Co before visiting the Cham Museum, which contains the finest collection of Cham sculptures in the world. Arrive Hue, check in hotel, go to Dong Ba market and enjoy an exclusive private dinner at the lovely garden house. And overnight in Hue.

Meals: Breakfast

Hue is Vietnam’s former royal capital and its cuisine is considered by many Vietnamese as the best in the country. The food is influenced by its imperial heritage (small dishes and a focus on aesthetic presentation) and its strong Buddhist heritage (reflected in the high proportion of vegetarian restaurants in the area). Enjoy a classic Hue breakfast of bun bo Hue, a popular Vietnamese soup containing rice vermicelli (bun) and beef (bo).

Then embark on our tour of the city’s imperial monuments. On the back of a motorbike (or in a car if you would rather), start your tour of Hue by visiting Thien Mu Pagoda, an active Buddhist monastery since 1601. Here you’ll see a car that belonged to one of the self-immolating monks of the 1963 protests. Continue to take a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River (approximately 40 minutes) and then visit the royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc before heading back to Hue. This evening, try imperial street specialties like banh hue (rice flour cakes stuffed with shrimp, pork and spices).

Meals: Breakfast

Today transfer to the airport for the short flight to Ho Chi Minh City (approximately 1 hour). Take a guided tour to get a feel for the city’s frenetic, fascinating blend of old and new, East and West. Go to visit the Reunification Hall, formerly known as the Presidential Palace it was towards this modern building that North Vietnamese tanks seized on the morning of April 30 1975, as Saigon fell. This fascinating building is filled with history still fresh in the minds of many.

From there stroll (your vehicle will be available at all times) to the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City: The Old Saigon Post Office, Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Continental Hotel, Opera House and City Hall. After this historical visit continue to the War Remnants Museum where exhibition halls display imagery of both the French and ‘American’ wars. Continue to the Jade Emperor Pagoda located on the fringes of district 1. Dating from 1909 and built by Cantonese Buddhists this quiet oasis was designed using feng shui principals showcasing ornate statues and effigies. After having experienced the frenzy of Saigon by day, discover the lively local streets by night. Join local people and enjoy an authentic Vietnamese evening.

Meals: Breakfast

Depart from your hotel and head to the delta town of Ben Tre, the starting point of your tour. Board a small boat to begin touring a region known as Vietnam’s rice bowl. The country is among the world’s top rice exporters, and the Mekong’s climate allows farmers to produce two or even three rice crops per year. The other major export is seafood, especially shrimp and catfish.

Your boat arrives at an artisanal factory where workers process coconuts by separating their oil, flesh and husks to be used in products like matting and candy. Learn how it all works! Then you will transfer a converted rice barge, to continue your cruise along the Mekong River. Here you can join in a demonstration of Vietnamese cooking before enjoying a sumptuous three-course lunch of Mekong specialties like claypot! After lunch take in the river scenery as you return to Ben Tre and then on back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your Flavor of Vietnam Culinary Holiday is coming to the end. Time permitting, you can wander in the Ben Thanh market for shopping or some souvenir then transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast