Vietnam Culture and Cuisine Tour

Package Overview

Detail

This 10 day tour covers the highlights of Vietnam, with a focus on the fabulous food for which the country is justly famous. Start in the capital Hanoi, with its lakes and tree-lined boulevards and home to such sights as Ho Chi Minh´s Mausoleum and the Temple of Literature. Taste the best examples of local culinary delicacies including Bun Cha and Che. The former imperial cities of Hue and Hoi An make perfect locations for exploring the atmospheric narrow lanes. In the village of Tra Que, learn from local farmers about the food and herbs they grow before cooking some local treats yourself. Dine at the home of Pham Ba Vinh, a descendant of Vietnamese royalty, and be regaled by stories of the past as the sun sets. Finish in Saigon and experience this energetic city reborn after the war, while learning more about the fighting from the Vietnamese perspective. A food tour of the city on the back of a motorbike is the authentic way to fully appreciate the city. End your journey with a cruise through the Mekong River Delta, witnessing the timeless farming of rice and vegetables for which this region is famous.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Walking Street Food Tour
Old Town Hoi An
Bicycle Tour to Local Village for Cooking Class
The Forbidden City of Hue
Dinner with Descendent of Former Royal Family
Evening Street food tour by motorbike in Saigon
Tour wartime Saigon, including War Remnants Museum
Boat ride through the Mekong Delta

Day wise Itinerary

• Day 1 : Hoan Kiem Lake

  Arrive in Hanoi, where you will be met by your expert guide and taken to your hotel. This afternoon enjoy your first taste of the city with a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake – the physical and symbolic heart of the city.
• Day 2 : Old Quarter

  Take in the highlights of the city, including the atmospheric streets of the Old Quarter, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and the Temple of Literature. In the evening take your seat for the Water Puppet Show at Thang Long Theatre and enjoy the unique folk art that has been practiced and perfected for over 1000 years.

  • Meals & Drinks Breakfast
• Day 3 : Hanoi

  The day begins with a "walking and eating" tour in Hanoi, taking in some of the best local specialties including Bun Cha and Che. In the afternoon, fly to Da Nang, where your guide and driver will meet you for the short drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An.

  • Meals & Drinks Breakfast, Lunch
• Day 4 : Hoi An

  Explore the narrow lanes of UNESCO World Heritage listed Hoi An, a well-preserved former trading port, and learn more about its most famous buildings including the Japanese Covered Bridge, Assembly Hall of the Chinese and Tan Ky's House.

  • Meals & Drinks Breakfast
• Day 5 : Tra Que

  Cycle to the village of Tra Que to learn about the food and herbs that are so important to Vietnamese life. Reward your morning endeavors with a relaxing herbal foot massage before taking a cooking class with a local family, producing delicious delicacies from the local produce. In the afternoon, drive to Hue, going over the stunning Hai Van Mountain Pass and past Lan Co Bay. End the day with a truly special dinner at Tha Om. At the home of Pham Ba Vinh, of royal heritage, be regaled with stories of the former Vietnamese royal family in the atmospheric replica of a 19th century Hue residence. Enjoy an exceptional dinner in the beautiful gardens as the sun sets over the lotus ponds.

  • Meals & Drinks Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 6 : Forbidden City

  This morning, enter the ancient Forbidden City, the former capital of the Tay Son Dynasty. Located on the north bank of the Huong (Perfume) River, the huge complex offers a spectacular view into the lives of Vietnam's emperors. This focus is continued with a visit to the tomb of Minh Mang. In the afternoon, try your hand at enamel painting with a visit to local artist Do Huu Triet, and create your own unique piece of art.

  • Meals & Drinks Breakfast
• Day 7 : Saigon

  After breakfast, fly to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), the bustling and energetic capital of the South, and Vietnam's largest city. Get a sense of life during the Vietnam War for the local Vietnamese with a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, where the 250 km of hand-built tunnels provided refuge for villagers and Viet Cong.

  • Meals & Drinks Breakfast
• Day 8 : Old Saigon's streets

  Start the day with a tour of Old Saigon's streets and its iconic buildings, including the Opera House, Central Post Office and Thien Hau Pagoda. Visit sites from wartime Saigon, starting at the Reunification Palace, the site of the symbolic ending of the war in 1975, before visiting the emotive War Remnants Museum which offers a perspective on the war through Vietnamese eyes. This evening, take a street food tour on the back of a motorbike, the only authentic way to travel in downtown Saigon. See the "real Saigon" by visiting Districts 1, 3, 5 and 10, guided by a local University student, tasting the best (and the strangest) of street foods and local specialties.

  • Meals & Drinks Breakfast, Dinner
• Day 9 : Mekong Delta

  Spend the day exploring the Mekong Delta by speedboat. The region is verdant and rich and rightly known as the Rice Basket of Vietnam. During the day, visit markets, Cao Dai temple and a local family. Lunch is served at an atmospheric pagoda, where your chef will prepare dishes using the abundant local produce.

  • Meals & Drinks Breakfast, Lunch
• Day 10 : Departure

  Visit local markets for any last minute gifts or one last meal, before your transfer for your outbound flight.

  • Meals & Drinks Breakfast

Inclusions

• Hotel
• Sightseeing

Price & Rates

Terms & Conditions

This Tour is Offered by

• Letters Lodge South Strathlachlan Argyll PA27 8BZ, Scotland, United Kingdom
• XXXXXX0272 View Contact
• XXXXXXXXXX@tourtravelworld.com View Mail ID

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