Gourmet Vietnam Tour

Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City

Welcome to Vietnam. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed and transferred to the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City for check in. The rest of the day is at your leisure. If time permits, there will be a visit to the historic Cu Chi Tunnels.

Ho Chi Minh City Tour

In the morning, set off your journey with private car to the most vibrant city in the southern Vietnam. Your first stop will be a bustling market in the downtown of the city where you can find all the specialties of the region. Move onto the Central Post Office and Opera House which are famous for stunning French style and spectacular colonial architecture. From the Post Office, take a short walk to the Reunification Palace – an important part in the reunification of the country. Walk inside the Palace to explore its fine meeting rooms and then climb up the third floor for a lovely view over beautiful lawns and gardens.

The next stop will be the War Remnants Museum where you can find various artifacts from the 20th century during wartime in Vietnam. Get back on your car and make a stop at Ben Thanh Market to get a glimpse of the vibrant commercial heart of the city. Enjoy lunch at Mandarin Restaurant with fresh Vietnamese dishes accompanied by a cooking demonstration. After lunch, continue your journey to the Chinatown.

In the afternoon, enjoy your trip with a stunning means of transport in the city – a cyclo. Take some time to stroll around a small fruit market before enjoying cyclo tour. You will be leisurely taken into the winding alleyways of the Chinatown. Once arrival at Cha Tam Church and Chua Ong Pagoda, explore its fascinating architecture inspired by Chinese style. Then, take a walk to a traditional herbal medicine street to first-hand witness the way local people use traditional herbs as remedies for everything. 

Leave the street, continue onto the Bitexco Building- a fantastic modern structure of the city. This spectacular building offers breathtaking views over the city, especially at sunset. Wrap up your afternoon with a cocktail before transferring back to your hotel. 

Spend the rest of the evening exploring the vivid nightlife of the city or just relaxing at your room.

Cooking class in Saigon

In the early morning, start your food journey at Ben Thanh Market – the commercial heart of the city. This is the meeting point of vendors throughout the city to sell and buy everything from clothes to fresh produce. Make your way to the produce section to select all the ingredients you need for the cooking class with the help and explanation of your guide about some herbs and vegetables.

After getting all ingredients, transfer to Mai Home cooking class to join a wonderful cooking lesson. This is a great chance to learn how to cook Vietnamese food which is simple but healthy. There will be lots of fun during your class. Try your hand with some typical dishes such as traditional spring rolls. After fishing the class, it’s time to enjoy your handiwork.

Mekong Delta Cruise

In the morning, depart for Ben Tre – the gateway to the Mekong Delta for around 2-hour drive. Upon arrival, embark a small boat to enjoy a cruise along stunning waterways. In addition to producing rice for the country, the area is also involved in some other aquaculture activities such as growing fruit trees or feeding animals. 

Make a stop for a visit of a brick factory and then re-board the boat and meander along zigzag canals and waterways. The next stop is at a small homemade coconut processing plant where you can see the interesting way to process coconut to other products such as oil, candy and woven mats. After the boat trip, take a short walk to a local mat weaving village to observe villagers at work. Then, get on a tuk tuk and travel along the village roads to the pier where you will board a beautiful teak boat for a lovely cruise along the river. Once on board, join us with a Vietnamese cooking demonstration before having a delicious lunch with specialties of the Mekong Delta region. After lunch, spend time relaxing on the top deck and soaking up in the beautiful views of surroundings on the way back to Ben Tre. Upon arrival, transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City where you arrive in the late afternoon.

Fly to Danang – Transfer to Hoi An

After breakfast, you will be picked up for a transfer to the airport for a flight to Danang. Upon arrival, your guide will take you to the ancient town of Hoi An for around 40 minutes. Hoi An is one of the most charming towns in Southeast Asia recognized by UNESCO.

There is a wide range of interesting activities you can join in Hoi An including strolling along beautiful roads, visiting art galleries and boutiques or cruising along Thu Bon River and dropping colorful lanterns.

Cooking class in Hoi An

Start your morning journey with a visit to a colorful local market and then enjoy a leisurely cruise along Thu Bon River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. Take a tour of the herb garden of the school followed by an informal cooking lesson. You will be explained about some popular specialties in Hoi An such as Cao Lau (noodles with pork slices and hot peppers) and Mi Quang (noodle with boiled eggs and baked rice cakes).

After getting some valuable cuisine techniques and savoring some delicious delicacies, relax with a stroll along the river side. Do not miss the chance to drop beautiful traditional lanterns along the river. This will be a unique experience you should not miss when visiting the beautiful town.

Transfer to Hue

After breakfast, enjoy a scenic drive on one of the most beautiful roads in Vietnam – Ha Van Pass towards the former capital of Vietnam. 

In the afternoon, explore the history of Vietnam through a visit to the Citadel before taking a boat ride to the charming Perfume River. Make a stop to visit ancient temples and pagodas. 

In the evening, get to know more about local cuisine through a talk of a local chef and then enjoy an authentic Hue dinner.

Hue – Fly to Hanoi

After breakfast, explore the impressive tomb of the Emperor Minh Mang – a complex of various buildings. The tomb is considered a perfect combination between man- made architecture and nature. 

In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for a flight to the capital of Hanoi. Upon arrival, check into your hotel followed by a dinner at an old restaurant in Hanoi. After the dinner with a specialty of “Cha Ca”, explore the nightlife of the city or return to your hotel to relax.

Hanoi City Tour

Today is spent exploring the highlighted attractions of Hanoi. Your morning exploration will start with a visit to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – the resting place of the revered former president of Vietnam. Continue onto the Temple of Literature where you can find a fine setting of ancient courtyards, gardens and Chinese styled architecture. This is considered the oldest university in Vietnam dating back thousand years ago.

Enjoy lunch at Home Restaurant with a traditional Vietnamese meal in the beautiful setting of Truc Bach Lake. 

After lunch, continue your adventure through some streets of Hanoi Old Quarter. You will pass through interesting streets which are well known for selling the goods of their namesake. You will stroll through small and beautiful alleys to see the best of Hanoi. Venture into temples and traditional houses to hear some interesting stories of the ancient city and meet friendly locals. Make a stop at a café overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake for a short rest and a cup of coffee. Your final stop is Ngoc Son Temple – a small temple on the lovely island of the lake. 

In the evening, learn more about Vietnamese culture with a water puppet show before returning to your hotel.

Cooking Class in Hanoi

Start your exploration with a visit to Chau Long Market to mingle into the bustling atmosphere of the market with all colors, sights, and smells. You may find it is interesting to discover local herbs and vegetables which cannot be found in other countries in the world. Your guide will explain the uses of these herbs and vegetables.

Make your way to Hanoi Cooking Centre – located on the edge of Hanoi Old Quarter. After a welcome tea, you will be explained the basics of Vietnamese cuisine which is focused on fresh ingredients. After learning cooking techniques, move onto the dining room to the second floor to enjoy your creation accompanied by a glass of beer or wine. 

Afterwards, transfer back to your hotel. Spend the rest of the evening exploring the vivid nightlife of the city.

Depart Hanoi

Explore the city on your own with the last chance before being transferred to the airport for your departure flight. End of tour.

• See More: Vietnam Culinary Tours
• Tour Operator: Vietnam Aurora Travel