FLAVOURS OF VIETNAM

FLAVOURS OF VIETNAM

BRIEFING AND TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

DETAILED TOUR ITINERARY 

Day 1
HANOI ARRIVAL – CITY ORIENTATION TOUR

You will meet your guide on arrival Hanoi airport, be transferred and check-in to your chosen hotel. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Hanoi, answer any questions you have.

Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital city and home to more than seven million people. Traditional and refined, with French colonial architecture, tree-lined boulevards, scenic lakes and a bustling Old Quarter, Hanoi has a sophisticated charm. Observe elderly people practicing Tai Chi by the lake, with barbers and food vendors plying their sidewalk trade.

Hanoi has many great restaurants with French, Vietnamese and international cuisines available. Ask your guide for personal recommendations.

Head to Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple, located in heart of Hanoi, which contains an islet with the tiny Tortoise Pagoda.

Afterwards walk through Ha Noi’s vibrant Old Quarter on a special tour. Experience the area’s world famous street food as we venture through local shops, small eateries, and roadside markets selling fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables. The owners of the food stalls are always helpful and love to explain how they prepare their dishes. We then visit a renowned local coffee shop, where we will get a demonstration and tasting of a delicious Hanoi specialty, egg coffee.

Welcome dinner at special restaurant KOTO – Know One Teach One.

Included meals: Dinner
Accommodation in HANOI

Day 2
HANOI – LOCAL COOKING CLASS & CITY HIGHLIGHTS VISIT

Accompanied by your guide this morning enjoy a one hour tour by cyclo, a chauffeur-pedalled tricycle, through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as “36 streets”. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s a great place to explore, especially by cyclo, with plenty of photo opportunities all around you.

Following, you are invited to take part in a hands-on cooking class with the charming, renowned local chef. Together, go to the neighbourhood wet market. Have chance to see the variety of goods on offer, learn from the chef about Vietnamese ingredients and how they are used in traditional cuisine…. As well the marketplace is a fabulous place to observe local ways of life and learn about how Hanoi’s residents select for fresh local produces.

Then come to the chef’s private residence. Once in the kitchen, the chef will share the secrets behind North Vietnam’s most popular foods. Using personal recipes, slice, dice and cook delicious dishes. Enjoy the meal while continue sharing about the chef’s personal culinary adventure…

In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, the first University for the sons of mandarins, to gain an overview of Hanoi culture and ancient Vietnamese architecture.

Continue to the mausoleum of the historic figure and father of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh (viewed from outside), and visit the former president’s house on stilts where he lived from 1958 to 1969. His former home illustrates the modesty of this Vietnamese revolutionary. Visit the small but iconic One Pillar Pagoda before heading back to the hotel.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation in HANOI 

Day 3
HANOI – DAY TOUR TO HOA LU – NINH BINH

Depart your hotel this morning on about 70km – 2.5 hours drive through rural northern Vietnam to the site of Vietnam’s first capital, Hoa Lu. The ravages of time have destroyed the ancient citadel but some vestiges including King Dinh and King Le worship temples still stand to this day among the rice paddies and are a worthwhile visit to get a glimpse of the ancient Vietnamese past. Followed by an included lunch at a local restaurant.

Then board a sampan and it will take you through rice paddies to grottoes of the sacred Tam Coc Caves. As the sampan gently slices through the water, notice the enormous limestone karsts jutting out from the green rice fields giving rise to Hoa Lu’s other name, “Halong on Land”. Should you feel adventurous, climb up to Bich Dong Pagoda, which offers a beautiful scenic view of the surrounding countryside.

Leave Ninh Binh and arrive Hanoi late in the afternoon.

Then enjoy the included dinner at one of the authentic Vietnamese restaurants. As your wish, head to one of the popular nightspots (own account of dink); Hanoi Opera House watch a show (optional extra fee) or walk through old quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in HANOI 

Day 4
HANOI > FLY TO HUE

After breakfast at hotel, you will be transferred to Noi Bai airport for your short flight to Hue.

On arrival Hue, meet your guide and be transferred to hotel for luggage deposit and refresh.

Hue served as an imperial capital to the Nguyen Lords, a feudal dynasty which reigned from the 17th to the 19th century. With splendid emperors’ tombs, ancient pagodas and the remains of the Citadel, the city retains its royal charm.

We enjoy a classic Hue light lunch with local special dishes like “Bánh Bèo” – steamed rice cakes; “Bánh Khoái” – a smaller, thicker version of the banh xeo – pan cake; “Bún bò Huế” – a popular Vietnamese soup containing rice vermicelli (bún) and beef (bò)….before embarking on our tour of the city’s imperial monuments.

Visit Khai Dinh or Tu Duc Royal Tombs (choose 01 of 02 tombs), and there is also the opportunity to visit an incense stick making house.

Board a private boat cruising on the picturesque Perfume River to visit Thien Mu pagoda, Hue’s best-preserved religious monument. Standing on the riverbank with its seven-storey tower, the pagoda is a sight to behold.

Late in the afternoon, enjoy the home hosted early dinner at special local house. Great experience to dine at one of Hue’s most famous traditional private ‘garden house’ known locally as ‘nha vuon’ which usually have connections with the ancient Hue Royal Imperial Court. The traditional architecture has long been associated with the natural environment and the ancient belief of ‘feng-shui’.

You will be greeted in the foyer of this magnificent house with a traditional Vietnamese welcome. The lady of the house will personally prepare an extraordinary Vietnamese meal which is served privately in the traditional manner in the private gardens of her home. While dining, chat to the family members to learn about their daily lives and how they bring the quintessence of the Royal ambiance and culture into their home.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in HOI AN

Day 5
HUE VISIT – DRIVE TO HOI AN

This morning visit the UNESCO listed site – Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Enter through the towering main gate and you will appreciate the magnificent architecture and gardens while your guide explains about the events and the intrigue of the former royal court. Despite being bombed heavily, there are some incredibly well preserved sections still intact and others which are being lovingly restored. The visit also includes the Hue Royal Fine Art Museum which is housed within the former Dien Long An Royal Palace.

Then enjoy a special vegetarian lunch at Zen House. This is a spiritual center where people are asked to dress respectfully, speak softly, treat everything with the gentle spirit of Buddhism. Explore “Nha Ruong”, a typical architectural house in Hue, the traditional living environment, way of life and spiritually connected cuisine of Hue. Enjoy a special vegetarian meal. Before and after your lunch, you would have chance to take part in a short meditation and Tai Chi. Refresh with a cup of unique brown rice tea and dried ginger before saying farewell to the host.

You will leave Hue for Hoi An in the afternoon. The guide and driver will take you over the beautiful Hai Van Pass – Vietnam’s geographical and psychological boundary between north and south. The peak of the pass lies perpetually shrouded in clouds.

Stop en-route in Danang, you will visit the Marble Mountains, five sacred hills containing dozens of Buddhist shrines.

Arrive Hoi An, check-in the hotel and enjoy the peaceful evening.

Dinner at nice restaurant enjoying the local specialties.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation in HOI AN

Day 6
HOI AN – WALKING STREET-FOOD TOUR

Breakfast at hotel

Start your morning with a leisurely drive through the countryside, heading to Tra Que vegetable village which is named after a sweet scented herb they grow and use to flavour Hoi An specialties like Cao Lau noodles. Upon arrival, learn about the history and custom of this charming village. Experience an organic discovery tour with the local farmers. Have an opportunity to chat with the friendly farmers to learn the traditional gardening methods and how they cultivate vegetables, etc… Bid farewell to your host family and transfer back to town.

Return to town, continue the day activity with the walking tour of Ancient Town & enjoy the local street-food.

The narrow lanes are ideal for a guided leisurely walking tour. There is also plenty to visit including the old merchant’s houses with influences from Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture; the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge; the Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation with outstanding wood carvings; and the colourful market with stalls brimming with local specialties including silk, which can be turned into fashionable garments within a day or two.

Stroll through zigzagging alleys to explore real neighborhoods;  enjoy the tantalizing sights, smells and flavors of local produce and indulge in Hoi An’s best dishes. “Cao Lau” noodles, “Com Ga” chicken rice;   “Banh mi” Hoi An bread; White rose dumplings; “Banh It” are among must try dishes…

Return to hotel and relax or ask your guide to take you to visit some interesting places processing traditional crafts like lantern marking, social enterprise and/or silk & clothes making.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation in HOI AN

Day 7
HOI AN – LOCAL COOKING CLASS

Breakfast at hotel.

Start walking/ cycling or Cyclo ride along the Thu Bon River where you have a chance to take photographs of many fishing boats and small houses to the little-known peaceful village trimmed with the green of bamboo surrounds. This is a traditional Vietnamese village, where the locals still preserve its ancient methods from ferry boats and old houses to temple traditions. Strolling around the zigzagging alleys to chat with the villagers.

Stop by and visit with local families to get a glimpse how they earn their livelihoods making traditional crafts of mat-weaving, cement statues and noodles; learn about the diversity of local plants, herbs and chat with the farmers. Come to meet a local chef and join in a hands-on cooking class. Finally, sit down and eat what you have created in the lovely restaurant overlooking the river. End with a leisurely boat cruise back to the Hoi An Town.

Return to hotel after the class and rest of the afternoon is free at leisure.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation in HOI AN

Day 8
HOI AN – DANANG > FLY TO SAIGON & CITY VISIT

Enjoy free time in Hoi An until your guide & driver pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport for short flight to Saigon.

You will meet your guide on arrival Saigon airport, be transferred and check-in to your hotel. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Saigon, answer any questions you have.

Saigon is a city that never sleeps and offers a plethora of great restaurants and bars catering to all tastes, from street food vendors to the rooftop bar at the Rex Hotel, where international correspondents covered the Vietnam War and where the U.S. military attaché’s press briefing was held daily and dubbed the “Five O’clock Follies”. Whatever your interests, be sure to ask your guide for personal recommendations.

Visit the landmark Reunification Hall, formerly known as the Presidential Palace. It was towards this modern building that North Vietnamese resistance fighters tanks (Viet Cong) rolled on the morning of April 30, 1975 as Saigon fell. This fascinating building is filled with history still fresh in the minds of many.

You may also like to visit the War Remnants Museum for a vivid insight into the Vietnam-American war from a Vietnamese perspective. Next stop is the Notre Dame Cathedral, a red brick building with twin spires based on the original construction from Paris, then head across the square to the Central Post Office designed by the French architect Gustav Eiffel.

Evening, attend a special dinner in the dark at NOIR local restaurant.

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation in SAIGON

Day 9
SAIGON – MEKONG DELTA EXCURSION

The Mekong Delta, south west of Saigon, is known as the rice bowl of Vietnam. Cai Be is located in Tien Giang province, a two hour drive from Saigon, deep in the heart of the Mekong Delta and you will notice lush rice paddies and fruit farms emerging alongside the highway as you leave the city behind for the peaceful Mekong Delta.

On arrival Cai Be, embark on your private charming wooden boat, a wooden motorboat, which will help you get closer to daily life and agricultural activities along the Mekong River. Visit the small colourful Cai Be floating market, experience how people exchanging goods, fruit and many other commodities o­n their boats.

Enjoying a short stroll through palm fringed trails to observe traditional Delta life and to visit a family-run business. Visiting some locale home factories that produce rice paste, rice popcorn and coconut candy. Proceed to evergreen islands among the Mekong River through a large network of meandering tributaries, crisscrossed with countless arroyos.

Lunch will be served at a local house where generations of family members live together. The owner of the house will serve you an appetising Vietnamese lunch.

After feasting on Mekong Delta specialties, you may wish to take a stroll around the orchard to see how fruit is cultivated. Chose to either walk or be rowed in a sampan along the small canals back to the boat before returning to the pier. Return to Saigon late this afternoon.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation in SAIGON

Day 10
SAIGON – CU CHI TUNNELS & STREET-FOOD DINNER

Early morning, you will be picked up & transferred from your hotel to the pier and depart for Cu Chi Tunnels. Embark on the join-in speedboat for an excursion from bustling Saigon to an area in the outskirt of town showcasing picturesque scenery. This trip provides a glimpse of the changing faces of Vietnam – from the glittering skyscrapers and busy commercial centres to green orchard fields and houses built on stilts dotted along the Saigon River. The tunnel complex was initially developed in 1948 to help protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from the French air and ground sweeps. The tunnels also served as communication routes, storage facilities for food and weapon caches as well as hospitals and living quarters for guerrilla fighters throughout the period of the American war. Today’s visit to the underground villages will provide a better understanding of how the tunnels were constructed, the hardship of life in the tunnels and the Vietnamese resilience during combat. Cruise back to Saigon around noon.

Enjoy the afternoon free at leisure for further exploration.

Early evening, you will be picked up from hotel. With all its hustle & bustle, Saigon is a city on the move! Discover what this thriving and exciting metropolis can offer in terms of street food, all from the back of a vintage Vespa scooter. After a briefing at your hotel lobby about the logistic, be introduced to your driver and start the journey. Stops include dinner and drinks at Saigon’s best authentic street food, and a Vietnamese-style coffee shop. Drive to District 4 to taste various snail dishes which are very popular in Saigon. Then it’s back to District 3 to sample a southern Vietnamese specialty – Banh Xeo (rice pancake with pork and prawns). Finally, head to a local Vietnamese style coffee shop and annoy a long slow coffee – the local way.

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner street-food
Accommodation in SAIGON

Day 11
SAIGON DEPARTURE

Breakfast at hotel. Free at leisure.
Your guide and private car will meet you at the hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Included meals: Breakfast

TOUR PRICE(S):

Superior 4*:     from US $ 1,868
Deluxe 5*:        from US $ 2,461

* Prices are based on twin/ double share for group of at least 02 passengers travelling together and depend on availability and season.

All our itineraries can be customised. For questions or further information, Enquire Now!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION