Taste of Vietnam

Upon arrival Ho Chi Minh City, you will be welcomed by Vietsense Travel’s tour guide and car driver at the airport then transfer to the hotel in city centre. Check in and stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: None

Following breakfast, morning commerce with the cooking class, head to Ben Thanh market for visit and purchase the ingredients. Don’t miss the bustling Ben Thanh Market – a fantastic place for bargains of every kind! Learn to make some Vietnamese typical dishes to understand more local culture. In the afternoon, take a visit to Cu Chi Tunnel. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life during the U.S.-Vietnam American must have been like. Get back Ho Chi Minh City for overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Following breakfast, Vietsense’s car driver pick you up at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City and depart for Cai Be, stopping to take photos in Tan An town overlooking the picturesque flat rice fields. On arrival in Cai Be, take a motor boat to visit the Cai Be floating market and watch the locals trading fruit and many other commodities on board their vessels. Then wander into the small villages to visit the orchard and fruit plantation. Keep cruising to Vinh Long through a series of small canals to experience the charms of the Upper Mekong Delta. Visit a small family business to see how coconut candy and crispy rice popcorn are made. Arrive in Binh Hoa Phuoc village, the green pearl of Vinh Long town, where you can immerse yourself in nature. Enjoy a lunch of fresh river food served in the heart of the garden accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music. Take a delightful walk through the bonsai garden. Meet the driver again in Vinh Long. Return and overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Take time to explore the dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is the largest and busiest city in Vietnam with a population of 7 million people. Much of the daily life takes place on the streets, which are lined with shops, stalls and vendors with their wares spread out on the footpath. There are several interesting sights in Saigon.

The War Remnants Museum has a wealth of images from the wars, the most moving being a gallery entitled Requiem which is dedicated to Vietnamese and foreign journalists and photographers who perished during the French and American conflicts.

The Reunification Palace was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975 when the North Vietnamese tanks came crashing through the front gates, bringing the U.S.-Vietnam War to a dramatic end. Close to the Palace some of the best examples of French colonial architecture are represented in the forms of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office.

Notre Dame Cathedral was built between 1877 and 1883, and the stones used to create it were exported in its entirety from France.

Next to the cathedral stands the Central Post Office, finished in 1891. It is another fine example of French architecture and is Vietnam s largest post office. For all of its French colonial history, Ho Chi Minh City is by far Vietnam s most modern city. It has numerous shopping malls, cinemas, discotheques and a bewildering number of bars. Afterwards, transfer to the airport then take the flight to Da Nang and transfer to the hotel in Hoi An for overnight

Meals: Breakfast

Today, we will join Hoi An Vietnamese cooking class. Begin to Hoi An’s colorful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and learn about all the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later.

We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy.

On arrival, we explore the cooking school s herb garden, before learning about some of Hoi An s and Vietnam as well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – the Red Bridge chefs first demonstrate each dish before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, we sit down and eat what we have cooked.

Bring your swimsuit and after the cooking tour has finished, relax and enjoy free use of our 20 meters swimming pool – towels and showers provided.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hoi An is a delightful small town easily explored by foot. More than any other place in Vietnam, Hoi An retains the feeling of centuries past and is a favorite with all travelers. Go on a half day private walking tour with your local guide around the historic town soaking up the atmosphere, exploring the fascinating local market. Walking Tour of Hoi An to Tan Ky old house, Chinese congress hall, Quan Cong pagoda, Japanese roof tile bridge etc. In the afternoon, take a drive to Hue and overnight in Hue.

Meals: Breakfast

Located near the ancient citadel in a peaceful suburb of Hue Cooking class is a truly unique way to learn more about Vietnamese cuisine and of course lend a hand in creating a culinary masterpiece. The class specializes in Hue’s Royal Meal, an exclusive art of food preparation and special dishes. After about two hours of food preparation you will have the opportunity to eat what you have created. We recommend a morning class which enables you to eat lunch in the lovely garden restaurant.

Finishing the Cooking Class, take a boat to the beautiful Thien Mu pagoda. Have lunch in a local restaurant. Visit the royal tombs of Khai Dinh or Tu Duc. these are two among the 13 kings of the Nguyen Dynasty which lasted from 1802 until 1945. Stay overnight in Hue.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today take the flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival the airport in Hanoi, welcome and picked up to your hotel. The rest time of the day is slight touring time around Hanoi including to visit Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature, Hanoi Old Quarter and enjoy water puppet show. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast

Following breakfast, today you will join in hand-on cooking class after visiting the local market & buy ingredients for the cooking demonstration. With the Chef, you are guided to make traditional & special dishes of Hanoi. Start with a 1-hour market tour to learn about Vietnamese ingredients & how to choose fresh foods. Next is a short talk on the art of Hanoian gastronomy, vegetables, herbs & spices & how to prepare & use them. The practical includes learning cooking & cutting techniques & how to use a Vietnamese vegetable grater & knife. Enjoy lunch with the product you have just made with the other tasted ones of the restaurant. Then spending the rest time free to discover Hanoi Old Quarter until take the night train to Sapa.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Upon arrival in Lao Cai Railway, arrive in Laocai early in the morning, then drive to Sapa town for check in hotel, enjoy breakfast and take some rest before start trekking to Muong Hoa valley to visit 3 villages of the H’mong and the Dzay (Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van). Then get back to Sapa and spend the night at hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Following breakfast, take a walk to Cat Cat village to visit the H’mong, the hydroelectric power station built by French people and silver waterfall. Then walk back to Sapa and free to explore the town. Get on the bus to Laocai station for the night train to Hanoi. Arrive Hanoi Railway Station in the early morning of the next day. Overnight on train.

Meals: Breakfast

This morning, arrive Hanoi Railway Station and take a short rest & breakfast until the time for Halong Bay Trip. Drive from Hanoi to Halong Bay (the World Natural Heritage site) via the Red River Delta. At the pier, embark on the junk cruise while lunch is served, cruise passing through the magical bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragon’s teeth. In the afternoon, enjoy panoramic view of the bay, swimming on a quiet beach or sunbathing on the sundeck. Visit the interesting fishing village with an opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. You will stay overnight onboard.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start the day early to enjoy a Tai Chi class on top deck with an opportunity to admit the magnificent scenery of sunrise over the sea. After that, you can choose to go to Soi Sim beach for swimming or join your chef for cooking demonstration to learn more about Vietnamese cuisine art. Then take deep cruise on the Bay to enjoy the fresh atmosphere on the Bay. In the afternoon, do kayaking or simply take a bamboo row boat to discover a water tunnel with many coral reefs in a scenic lagoon. Back on board, enjoy watching the peaceful sunset and later unwind at a restaurant. Overnight onboard.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This early morning, wake up by the sounds of waves and birds welcoming the new day, you will have an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto, enjoy the final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. Check out the junk and get on car to return to Hanoi. Stay overnight in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This is the last day of tour “Taste of Vietnam Culinary Vacation”, spend the free time further discover Hanoi by your own until our guide and driver will come to your hotel in Hanoi and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight home. Trip ends at Noi Bai International Airport. Thank you for traveling with Vietsense travel, good bye and see you again!

Meals: Breakfast