VIETNAM COOKING TOUR
VIETNAM COOKING TOUR
(17 Days 16 nights)
Code: STS – COOK VN 01
Day 1: HANOI
Arrival in Hanoi, the centuries-old beautiful capital of Vietnam, meet our guide for airport pick-up, hotel check-in, time at leisure. Enjoy a fantastic rickshaw ride through the bustle and hustle of Hanoi Old Quarter and dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: HANOI CITY TOUR (B)
Full day for exploring the fascinating city of Hanoi where old and new things blend together, Vietnamese, Chinese and French cultures mix together.
Activities: a pleasant walk around the peaceful Ho Chi Minh area, visit HCM Mausoleum, HCM’s stilt house and garden, the One Pillar pagoda. Take another pleasant walk at the beautiful Temple of Literature, and visit at the Fine Arts Museum. Finally take a fascinating walk through the famous 36 busy streets of the Old Quarter and shopping. Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 3: COOKING CLASS IN HANOI (B-L)
Join the cooking class at VietCuisine Restaurant. You have a chance to watch chef’s demonstration and start practicing. Not just observing but you will actually prepare and cook by yourself under the instruction of the chef from the beginning to the end. You will enjoy what you have cooked.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 4: HANOI – HALONG BAY (B-L-D)
Morning check out the hotel, transfer to Halong Bay by a shuttle bus, a World Natural Heritage site. Upon arrival, check in aboard a deluxe junk and start cruising. Enjoy fabulous seafood, stunning sceneries, and water activities: swimming, kayaking (exclusive), and fishing
Overnight aboard
Day 5: HALONG – HUE (B-L)
After breakfast on the boat, enjoy cruising around the bay, visiting caves, swimming and kayaking (exclusive) and another beautiful seafood meal on the boat.
Afternoon transfer to the airport to take late afternoon flight to Hue, the Royal city of the Nguyen Dynasty. Upon arrival, meet our guide and transfer to a hotel in Hue. Overnight in Hue
Day 6: HUE (B)
Full day enjoy Hue’s typical features: peaceful, traditional and beautiful.
Activities: lovely boat trip on the Perfume River to the beautiful Thien Mu pagoda, King Tu Duc’s tomb, King Khai Dinh’s tomb. Afternoon: excellent motorbike trip with drivers to interesting traditional villages and beautiful sceneries around Hue.
Dinner at a local restaurant and Overnight in Hue
DAY 7: COOKING CLASS IN HUE (B-L)
You will enjoy the cooking class at Tinh Gia Vien restaurant, which is known for serving dishes in the traditional style of Hue’s imperial court. Tinh Gia Vien has a garden oasis, with 185 species of plants and flowers, 400 bonsai trees, and a fabulous misting waterfall. This restaurant is run by Master chef Madame Ton Nu Thi Ha, a member of the royal family. You will learn how to elegantly and colorfully present traditional Hue food, much in the form of animals. Overnight in Hue
Day 8: HUE – HOIAN (B)
Morning check out the hotel and enjoy scenic drive to Hoi An via Danang, stop at the Fine Arts Cham museum and Marble Mountains in Danang. Arrival in Hoian, a very charming ancient town, another World Heritage site in Vietnam, check in a hotel and rest till dinner
Dinner and overnight in Hoian.
Day 9: HOIAN (B)
Morning enjoy a relaxing city walk to more than 200 years-old temples and houses. Enjoy pleasant shopping with much variety, low costs and friendly hosts.
Afternoon take a fantastic bicycle ride to explore interesting villages and the beautiful countryside, or free time for shopping or swimming in the South China Sea.
Overnight in Hoian
DAY 10: COOKING CLASS IN HOI AN (B-L)
Full day enjoy the Cooking Classes in Red Bridge Cooking School with interesting activities of shopping at local market, visiting vegetable gardens, hands-on cooking, and enjoy what you have cooked.
Overnight in Hoian
Day 11: HOIAN – MY SON HOLY PLACE (B)
Morning excursion to My Son, the former Religious capital of the Cham people, enjoy the scenic landscapes and mysterious Cham arts and architecture
Back to Hoian for lunch, then free time for shopping and relaxation
Overnight in Hoian
Day 12: HOIAN – HCMC – CU CHI (B)
Morning transfer back to Danang airport to take a flight to HCMC. Upon arrival, meet our guide and drivers and transfer to check in hotel.
Afternoon visit the impressive Cu Chi tunnels system, one of the most violent battlefields of the Vietnam War.
Enjoy the unique water puppet show.
Overnight in HCMC
DAY 13: COOKING CLASS IN HCMC (B-L)
You will join the class at Saigon Culinary Art Center. The program of teaching is emphasized on authentic Vietnamese dishes and the culture of food.
Overnight in HCMC.
Day 14: HCMC – MY THO – CAN THO (B)
After breakfast, a two hour drive to My Tho will expose the guests to the colorful outskirt life as well as picturesque rice fields along the journey. Visit the colourful Vinh Trang Pagoda in My Tho, then get on a boat trip up the Mekong River with islet stop at Thoi Son to taste seasonal fruits, enjoy traditional folk songs. Experience the authentic life of the locals. An adventurous sampan ride in palm shading creeks will be the next experience of the riverside region. Lunch to be served with the Mekong Delta specialty – Deep Fried Elephant ear fish, big legged shrimps and more. Then continue to Can Tho, the capital of the Mekong region. Hotel check-in and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Can Tho
DAY 15: COOKING CLASS IN CAN THO – HCMC (B-L)
Early morning enjoy boat tour to Cai Be floating market. Then come back to the hotel and join the cooking class at Victoria Hotel.
Late afternoon transfer back to HCMC
Overnight in HCMC
Day 16: HCMC Tour (B)
Morning city tour, visit China town, Cho Lon market, Thien Hau temple, the Reunification Hall, the War Museum, the Notre Dame Cathedral (1880) and Old Post Office (1886), and the Ben Thanh market. Afternoon free for enjoying shopping, relaxation, spa and massage
Overnight in HCMC
Day 17: HCMC – DEPARTURE (B)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for departure and with sweet memories with us.
Inclusions:
- Hotel accommodation with buffet breakfast (1 single room)
- All meals indicated in the program
- All ground transport on tour with A/C car, boats, rickshaw, motorbike, 2 domestic flights: HAN-HUE and DAD-SGN
- All entrance fees for sightseeing and shows
- Visa application on arrival in Vietnam
- Local English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Korean speaking guide
- Daily cold bottles of water and towels
- 5 Cooking classes in HAN, HUE, HOIAN, HCMC AND CANTHO with lunches
Exclusions:
- International flight tickets to and from Vietnam
- Personal Insurance
- Visa fee at the airport on arrival 525,000 VND/pax
- Personal expenses such as drinks, laundry, tips etc.
- All other accounts not mentioned in the above inclusions.
Exchange Rate: 1 USD=21,000 VND
