Taste of Vietnam

This trip is designed for the visitor with limited time and an unlimited appetite for culinary adventure. It features Vietnam's most popular destinations, with many special opportunities to discover and savor the surprisingly varied tastes of this fascinating land. From North to South, well delight in a medley of elegant foods prepared to please the eye as well as the palate, our tour is well planned and we save precious time by flying or traveling by overnight train. Highlights include the wonders of Ha long Bay as well as Hanoi with its alluring Old Quarter. Well also visit Hue, the Imperial City of the 18th and 19th centuries, the picturesque port town of Hoi An and the ever-vibrant Ho Chi Minh City.

Tour duration: 14 days 13 nights (9 nights in hotels, 3 homestay, 1 night on junk cruise,)
Departure:  from Hanoi
End:  in Ho Chi Minh City
Tour grade: Easy
Tour style: Private only
Group size: from 2 person minimum and above
Tour highlights: Cooking class in Hanoi and Hoian – Halong bay - Hue – Saigon  - the tunnel of Cu Chi

Itinerary In Brief
Day 1: Arrival day
Day 2: Enjoy Hanoi city tour
Day 3: Day Trip from Hanoi – Halong bay
Day 4: Enjoy half day cooking lesson in Hanoi – Hue
Day 5: Arrival Hue
Day 6: Enjoy Hue and around
Day 7: Hue – Hoian
Day 8: Enjoy Hoian cooking lesson
Day 9: Enjoy Hoian
Day 10: Hoian – Saigon
Day 11: Saigon – Cu Chi tunnel
Day 12: Departure day

Tour price: please enquire for availabilities & the most up date price
Quotations will be base on following five star hotets cross vietnam
Hotel in Hanoi:           5 star Sofitel Metropole Hotel
Hanoi cooking class:  High Way 4 Restaurant 
Hotel in Hue :             5 star Hue Imperial Hotel
Hoian hotel  :              5 star Palm gardent resort
Hoian cooking Class:  Red Brigd restuarant
Saigon in hotel :           5 star Renaissance Hotel

Tour Price Included:
English speaking guide
All private A/C cars for transfers and transport
Nigh train from Hanoi to Hue (A/C soft berth carbine)
All meals are mentioned in the itinerary (10 breakfasts, 7 lunches 4 dinners)
All entrance fees during the guide time
Boat cruise in Halong bay
The entire accommodations with twin share basic with breakfast
Domestic flights (Danang – Saigon) 

Tour Price Excluded:
Other Airfares and taxes
Foods and drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
Visas and visa fees,
Entrance fees and permits during free time
Personal travel insurance (Compulsory)
Personal expenses such as Bar, Telephone and Laundry bills,
Tips and gratuities

Itinerary In Detail
Day 1: Arrival Hanoi
Airport pick up upon arrival. We will have a market tour in the afternoon. This evening, our guide will escort you to a sumptuous dinner at Green Tangerine - set in an old French colonial villa. This is a quintessential Hanoi! (D)

Day 2: Hanoi
This morning we will explore Hanoi's old quarter with a morning cyclo ride. We'll have lunch at Kim Lien pagoda for a truly unique vegetarian lunch with local monks. We'll have a free afternoon before a Dinner and Wine tasting session at the infamous Press Club. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Hanoi – Ha long Bay
After breakfast, we'll drive to Ha long Bay. With more than a thousand limestone peaks rising up from its crystalline emerald waters, this area is rightly viewed as one of the natural wonders of Vietnam and is one of five World Heritage-listed sites. Here we will enjoy a sumptuous seafood lunch before relaxing on the tanning deck, swim in the clear aqua blue waters and enjoy the best cuisine available in the bay. Drive back to Hanoi in the late afternoon. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Hanoi
Let the cooking begin. Today we'll have a half day cooking lesson, beginning with a morning market tour follow by a great time at Highway 4 - an institution in Hanoi for excellent traditional recipes. At 12:00 midday we will sit down and enjoy the fruits of our efforts - there are several menus to choose from and each menu consists of 3 dishes to prepare. Late evening, we'll board the Reunification Express for an overnight train to the ancient imperial capital of Hue. NOTE: HOTEL DAY ROOM UNTIL 9PM (B, L)

Day 5: Hue
We'll arrive in this serene city early morning and transfer directly to our hotel. After lunch, we'll have a half day city tour and quick scan at the River side Market. There will be another culinary adventure this evening as we dine at the fine-dining establishment -Tropical Garden. (D)

Day 6: Hue
The morning begins with a hands-on cooking class at Tinh Gia Vien restaurant, highlighting the regal flavors of Hue cuisine as we prepare our own midday meal. After lunch, we'll take a cruise along the romantic Perfume River, passing opulent palaces and gardens of the 19th century Nguyen kings. In the evening you may wish to stay at your hotel and attend an imperial dinner, wearing the traditional clothes of the emperors. (B, L)

Day 7: Hue - Hoi An
We'll continue south, going by road toward the riverside town of Hoi An. Our five-hour route hugging the coastline along the South China Sea, serves up breathtaking views that ;row even more spectacular as we wind our way up Hai Van Pass ("Pass of the Clouds"). After arriving in Hoi An we'll grab some lunch and take a walking tour around this once-thriving port and visit the famed old quarter, the vapanese Bridge. (B/L)

Day 8: Enjoy cooking class in Hoian
We will have meeting point at Hai's Scout Cafe. After taking the welcome drink, we visit Hoi An’s colorful market and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have our opportunity to interact with local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the coming cooking lesson. After that we board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise about 25 minutes along Thu Bon River to Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life and make sure your camera is in your hand. Up on arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden before learning about some Hoi An and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours, each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge’s Chief 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 enjoy our products then(B/L)

Day 9: Enjoy relaxation in Hoian
Today there are no activities included, so you will be free at the leisure for relaxing or shopping (B)

Day 10: Hoian – Saigon
We transfer in the morning for the early flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Today we tour around the city to visit the highlights of Saigon including Notre Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office, the Formal Presidential Palace, the Museum of War Remnants and Ben Thanh market (B)

Day 11: Saigon – Half day Cu Chi tunnel
Departure from hotel foyer at 8 am we go to visit the Reunification Palace. This is one of the most important buildings in the city then War Remnants Museum. Formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes, this is a poignant display of the futility of war. Following by Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office: Built between 1877 and 1883 this is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture. Our city will be end at 12 o’clock . After lunch, Leaving Saigon we drive through pleasant countryside before arriving at Cu Chi. Before entering the tunnels we'll watch a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed. We'll then spend the next hour exploring the maze of tunnels. We will then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City for lunch, arriving at approximately 5:30 pm (B/L)

Day 12: Departure Day
Free at the leisure enjoy last minute shopping for before transfer to airport to departure back home (B)