Culinary Tour in Vietnam

15 days / 14 nights

Photos

Overview

Embark on a culinary adventure across Vietnam with this 15-day tour designed for food enthusiasts and culture lovers alike. Start in Hanoi, where you’ll explore street food and traditional dishes before attending a Water Puppet show and taking a Cyclo tour through the Old Quarter. Learn to cook Vietnamese dishes in a hands-on class, then set sail on a Halong Bay cruise to enjoy local seafood and breathtaking scenery. Discover Ninh Binh’s natural beauty and visit ancient temples, before moving on to Hue to taste the distinctive flavors of the region and explore historical sites. Continue to Da Nang for a cultural visit and a relaxing free day, then experience Hoi An’s renowned cuisine through a cooking class. Conclude your journey in Ho Chi Minh City with tours of historical sites, the Cu Chi Tunnels, and the Mekong Delta, before returning home. This tour blends culinary delights with Vietnam’s rich history and stunning landscapes.

Trip code: CUI0004VN15D

Destination: Vietnam

Itinerary

Arrive in Hanoi - Noi Bai International Airport. You will be met at the airport by your English speaking guide and transfer to your hotel in downtown Hanoi.
In the afternoon we will see the Museum of Ethnology then we will attend a traditional Water Puppet show. This art originates from rural festivals in Vietnam. The artists – men and women – stand waist deep in the water to manipulate the puppets, making them move about, talk and laugh and even dance on the surface of the water. The audience is meant to experience the atmosphere of a village festival. Then visit Hoan Kiem Lake (The Restored Sword Lake) and the Ngoc Son Temple, which is on an island in the northern part of the lake. We will enjoy a Cyclo tour along the narrow streets of the Old Quarter of Hanoi. The Old Quarter includes 36 old streets with each name representative of the type of merchandise sold in it.
After that, you will explore Vietnamese cuisine by street food tour with street food tour. There's no doubt visitors to Hanoi - especially the food-centric ones - notice the constant presence of edible stuff on their strolls around the Old Quarter and further afield. Street-side meat, bicycles laden with fruit and vegetables, simmering pots of stock on doorsteps, boiling kettles, tipping teapots, sacks overflowing with rice - the streets are where the food action is at, not hidden indoors in gigantic supermarket halls nor protected behind glass windows or cabinetry. One can reach out and touch food up and down the length of any Hanoi street. Explore Ha Noi people life with: famous bread (Banh Mi); Stuffed pancake (Banh Cuon); Kebab rice noodles (Bun Cha); Pho..and enjoy fresh beer cups in Ta Hien Street or head to a deceptively rustic looking café to enjoy some of the city’s most gourmet coffee
Overnight in Hanoi.
Distance: Noi Bai Airport – Hanoi Central: 30 km for 50 minute transfer
In the morning, you will enjoy cooking class "Food from Hanoi" which will start with tour to market, then come back to kitchen and do hands-on class with the guide of our Chefs. After finishing all dishes, you will enjoy what you have cooked.
In the afternoon, drive to Halong (3 hours)
Overnight in Halong.
After breakfast
Explore Ha Long by yourself, then drive to Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Whoever comes to Vietnam should not miss the chance to visit Halong Bay, a picturesque blend of harmonious transition between the mountains and the sea.
The program will be changed depending on which cruise choosing.
Halong Bay is in the Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf and stretches over an area of 1,500 km2 with three thousand green islands that look like jewels. Upon arrival at the harbor, we will embark on a junk. We will enjoy a fresh seafood lunch on the boat while experiencing the majestic beauty of Halong Bay. The Junk is a wooden sailboat designed in a traditional Vietnamese style while offering a full range of modern amenities.
Visit the fascinating Dau Go Cave called “The Cave of Marvels” and Thien Cung Cave, the “Heavenly Palace Cave” surrounded by spectacular stalactites and stalagmites.
After dinner, enjoy fishing with local fishermen. The reflection of the limestone outcrops, the sight of fishing boats lit up in the darkness; enjoy these precious moments in one of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world.
Overnight on board the junk.
07.00-07.30: Catch the morning view of the seascape while enjoying breakfast with cookies and tea, at the café in the restaurant.
07.30-08.30: Visit Vung Vieng fishing village - the famous fishing farm by bamboo boat and discover the life of local people living on the surface of Halong Bay. (No swimming).
08.30-09.30: Pack up the luggage and check out of the cabin.
09.30-10.40: Enjoy brunch in the restaurant while cruising back to the tourist harbor.
11.00: Disembark from boat.
12.00: Your driver takes you to Ninh Binh. 
Overnight in Ninh Binh.
Breakfast at hotel
08:00A.m: Car and tour guide pick you up at a place in city to depart for Ninh Binh . Arrive in Buddha Prayer place in Bai Dinh Pagoda, the biggest pagoda  in Vietnam with 500 La Han statues, biggest bronze Buddha statue in Vietnam 10 metre in height, 100 tons in weight.
Have lunch in restaurant
In the afternoon, depart to visit Trang An tourist attraction, take boat cruise to visit cave complex: Sang Cave, Toi Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Nau Ruou in mystery and wildness, see scenery of mountain and rivers – a Ha Long on land of Ninh Binh.
Return to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi
Distance: Hanoi – Ninh Binh -> 2.5 hour transfer included breaktime on the way
Have a breakfast in hotel.
08:00 A.m: We will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & Museum, the One Pillar Pagoda,The French colonial Styled Presidential Palace and the historical Temple of Literature, the first university of VietNam, built in 1070 in honor of confucius.
In the afternoon, our car pick up and transfer to the airport flight to Hue.
Arrive in Hue - Phu Bai Airport. You will be met at the airport by your English-speaking guide and transferred to your hotel in downtown Hue.
Overnight in Hue.
After breakfast in hotel.
We wil visit Khai Dinh Tomb and the minh Mang tomb. Then we will visit to the Imperial City, an impressive royal complex built in the 17th century based on the ancient feng shui practice of geomancy.  The Imperial City is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Famous for its historical role, Hue, one of Vietnam ancient capitals, has taken writers thousands of words for its typical culture and cuisine features. Hue cake is part of that beauty trait. Hue cake (Banh Hue) is only a term for cakes in general of many different types but sharing the common base ingredients of rice flour and shrimp. However, it is the difference in recipes coupled with the skills of Hue people that makes each kind of cake a distinctive taste. Some of Hue cakes are: Bánh khoáiBánh Bột Lọc, Bánh Bèo, Banh Nậm; Bánh Lọc;...  And today, you will have chance to enjoy lunch with this cakes
In the afternoon, we go boat station to embark boat for cruise along the poetic Perfume River, we will stop for visiting the iconic Thien Mu pagoda (Heavenly Lady pagoda – symbol of Hue).
Overnight in Hue
Have a breakfast in hotel
Transfer to Da Nang and visit: the Cham Museum, the Marble Mountains and the China Beach. Danang was named “ Saigon of the North” during the American War and known under the French as Tourane. It succeeded Hoi An as the most important harbor in central Vietnam during the 19th century. The Cham Museum, founded in 1915 by the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient, is an open-air collection of the finest Cham sculptures in the world. The Marble Mountains consists of five marble hills. Each of them is representing a different element: Thuy (Water), Moc (Wood), Hoa (Fire), Kim (Metal) and Tho (Earth). The largest and most famous one; the Thuy Mountain, has numerous caves, in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built through the centuries.
Overnight in Danang
Danang Free day, no guide, no car
Overnight in Danang.
After breakfast in hotel
We travel from Danang to My Son sanctuary. It comprises many Champa temples, in a valley roughly two kilometers wide, surrounded by two mountain ranges. It was the site of religious ceremony of kings of the Champa dynasty, and was also a burial place of Champa royals and national heroes. The My Son temple complex is one of the foremost temple complexes of Hinduism in South East Asia and is the foremost heritage site of this nature in Vietnam. Though the complex has been destroyed over time, we still see many majestic ancient ruins of temples in the area.
Arrive in My Son at 9:00AM. Walk around with your guide for 2 hours to see the historic and cultural ruins of the 16th century, you will be brought back to the glorious time of the Champa civilization.
In afternoon, we enjoy a walking tour of Hoi An Old Town. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky old house, a handicraft market where you can see the artists at work making beautiful silk lanterns, the Cantonese Assembly Hall, temples and pagodas in the Chinese architectural style, and the large colorful market.
Overnight in Hoian.
In the morning you will join cooking class.
We start the day (8.15am) with a drink at Hai Scout Café.
Visit Hoian’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 purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later.
We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoian 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 and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoian’s and
Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef’s, 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 exactly what we have cooked.
In the afternoon, you will transfer to Danang airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
Have a breakfast at hotel
08:00 A.m: We enjoy a city tour to see Reunification Palace and Ben Thanh Market. Visit Notre Dame Cathedral (1877-1883) right on the square and the beautiful French-style Post Office (1886-1891), with its glass canopy and iron structure designed by Gustave Eiffel. Then, visit the famous War Remnant Museum, with armored vehicles, artillery pieces, bombs and infantry weapons displayed both outside and inside. Then, continue to Cholon, the Chinese quarter, discover the Thien Hau Pagoda, build by the Cantonese congregation in the 19th century.  Free time to explore on your own, or for shopping.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
08:00am: Morning departure to the small town of Cu Chi, located 35 km from Saigon (1h30), an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the long struggle for independence. Visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels Network which became legendary during the 1960s for its role in facilitating Viet Cong control of a large rural area. At its height, the tunnel system stretched from the South Vietnamese capital to the Cambodian border; in the district of Cu Chi alone, there were over 250 km of tunnels. The network, parts of which were several stories deep, included innumerable trapdoors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers, and kitchens. The tunnels of Cu Chi were built over a period of 25 years beginning in the late 1940s. Return to Saigon.
Overnight in Saigon.
Ho Chi Minh Central – Cu Chi: 50 km => 1-hour 20-minute transfer
8:00 am: Heading out of town we travel by roads to the Mekong Delta, Vietnam's largest rice bowl.
On arrival in My Tho, we embark on a boat navigating around the intricate small canals in the delta region, which is a great way to observe the local lifestyle close-up. This thrilling excursion will pass the lush green vegetation before arriving on an island. Here we have opportunities to visit some fascinating local industries, stroll around an orchard and taste many delicious seasonal fruits. In the afternoon we return to Saigon, stopping off along the way to see the beautiful Vinh Trang Pagoda.
The trip ends after arrival back in Saigon
Overnight in Saigon.
After breakfast.
Free time your visit and relax.
After check out hotel, Our car pick up and transfer to the airport for departure flight.

Reviews

"This culinary tour of Vietnam exceeded all my expectations! From the bustling street food scenes in Hanoi to the serene Halong Bay cruise, every moment was unforgettable. The cooking classes were a highlight, especially in Hoi An, where I learned to make authentic Vietnamese dishes. Hue’s traditional cakes were a real treat, and exploring the Mekong Delta was a unique experience. Our guides were knowledgeable and friendly, making the journey smooth and enriching. Highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to dive deep into Vietnamese cuisine and culture!"

Inclusions

  • Accommodation in the category chosen or similar (we haven't blocked any room yet) based on double/twin sharing with daily breakfast. 02N Ha Noi; 01N Ha Long; 01N on Cruise; 01N Ninh Binh; 02N Hue; 02N Da Nang; 01N Hoi An; 04N Ho Chi Minh
  • All local boat rentals and cycling as mentioned in the program. Seat in coach (SIC) junk in Ha Long bay with 1 Lunch + 1 Dinner + 1 Brunch
  • Transfer from and to the airports by private vehicle with A/C. Transportation by private vehicle with A/C.
  • Local English speaking guide(s) in Vietnam.
  • Meals as mentioned in the program. B: Breakfast only.
  • All entrance fees and sightseeing as mentioned in the program. Mineral Water (01 bottle/pax/day)
  • 01 FOC in ½ Twin room for group of 16pax onward (excluding internal airfares and visas). Maximum 02 FOC per group.

Exclusions

  • Late check out or Early check in
  • Visa fee upon arrival in Vietnam. Vietnam visa authorization letter.
  • Meals and drinks are not mentioned in the program.
  • International flight/ Domestic flight tickets and airport taxes.
    All internal/ regional flight tickets in economy class with/without departure tax.
  • Tips & personal expenses. Personal insurance. Any service not clearly mentioned in the program.

Accommodation

3* First Class : 3-Star Hotel

4* Superior : 4-Star Hotel

5* Deluxe : 5-Star Hotel

Important Info

From

$1,184/Pax

Applied for group 16-20 persons