Compare Culinary tour of Vietnam by Audley Travel vs Best of Vietnam Tour 11 days by Asia Authentic Travel

Day 1 : International outbound flight

Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Hanoi.

Day 2 : Ky Son

Upon arrival in Hanoi you will be greeted by an Audley representative and transferred to the rural village of Ky Son where you will be staying for the next couple of days.Once known for growing poppies used in the opium trade, Ky Son is now a flourishing farming community with age old traditions contrasting with modern irrigation systems.

Day 3 : Ky Son

Today will be spent venturing out into the village where you will have the opportunity to meet the locals and learn about traditional farming practices. A leisurely cycle ride through the countryside is nicely rewarded back at Moon Garden where a herbal foot massage and home cooked meal await.

Day 4 : Mai Chau

After breakfast you will journey out to the beautiful Mai Chau Valley. Here emerald mountains tower above acres of rice paddies and ethnic minority villages dot the foothills. While staying in Mai chau you will have the chance to sample some ethnic Thai cuisine, share a glass of rice wine and learn about the local cultures.

Day 5 : Mai Chau

Spend a full day in Mai Chau where you can enjoy a guided walking or cycling tour of the area. The morning will be spent visiting local homes, farms and factories before relaxing at your hotel in the afternoon.This evening you can enjoy a cold local beer while watching the sun fade over the horizon.

Day 6 : Hanoi

From peaceful Mai Chau you will travel to Vietnam's capital, Hanoi. Here the pace of life changes and ox carts are replaced with scooters.While in Hanoi you will have a chance to learn a little about the city's origins, recent history and most importantly its grasp on the country's food scene.This afternoon you will join a local blogger for a fascinating street food tour of Hanoi. You will negotiate narrow alley ways, peruse market stalls and question your taste buds while being treated to a wealth of knowledge from your guide.This evening you may want to sample one of Hanoi's many wonderful restaurants (we have a few favourites that we can highly recommend). One dish to watch out for is Bun Cha, which is thought to have originated in Hanoi.

Day 7 : Hanoi

An early rise today to sample the country's staple breakfast, the hugely popular beef noodle dish, Pho. This will be sampled at a local cafe which has been around for many years serving the people from Hanoi their favourite dish. Beforehand you will enjoy a short tour around the city taking in the flag raising ceremony at HCM Square, botanical gardens and bustling markets.Afterwards your guide will introduce you to some of the city's most well known sites before returning to your hotel for a well earned rest.

Day 8 : Halong City

An early rise today as you are collected from your hotel and taken to Halong bay, a journey of about three hours. Upon arrival you will have time to sample a sweet (but strong) Vietnamese coffee before boarding your Junk boat.After settling in to your cabin you will sail out to the bay through a maze of islands and inlets. A freshly prepared seafood lunch can be enjoyed before journeying ashore to one of the bay's most beautiful vantage points.The afternoon can be spent exploring the area by kayak or simply relaxing on-board.Before retiring to bed enjoy a sundowner on the top deck.

Day 9 : Hoi An

This morning you will begin your journey back to the mainland passing remnants of a vast fishing trade that once ruled the waters.Upon arriving back in Halong City you will be met by your guide and transferred to Hanoi Airport in time for your evening flight to Danang. On the way you will have time to visit a rural community famed for its water puppetry and also stop for lunch at a local restaurant.Upon arrival in Danang you will be greeted by an Audley representative and transferred the short distance along the coast to Hoi An.The UNESCO recognised Hoi An was once a busy port linking merchant trade from the north and south of the country. Chinese and Japanese architecture is evident throughout and such is its diversity the town now boasts some of the country's most interesting and delicious cuisine.

Day 10 : Hoi An

Today you will head out on the water in traditional bucket boats to experience the everyday life of a Vietnamese fisherman. Explore local fishing communities before trying your hand at catching your own. A fresh seafood lunch will be served on-board afterwards.The afternoon is free to explore or relax at your own leisure.This evening you may want to try one of the town's many riverside restaurants and sample local specialities such as White Rose dumplings or Cau Lau noodles.

Day 11 : Hoi An

This morning you will join a local chef for a tour around Hoi An's markets before taking a boat to the renowned Red Bridge cooking school. Here under the guidance of a Vietnamese chef you will learn to marry local ingredients together and create a number of select dishes frequented in the country's cuisine. The fresh herbs used in Hoi An's cooking are renowned for bringing to life many dishes.The afternoon is free to explore or relax at your own leisure.

Day 12 : Saigon

After breakfast you will be collected from your hotel and taken to the airport in time for your afternoon flight to Saigon.Upon arrival in Saigon you will be met by your guide and taken to your hotel.Saigon is modern, vibrant and daring, especially when it comes to its food and the next couple of days will act as a fitting end to your Vietnamese culinary adventure.This evening you will join a small group of food enthusiasts for a city Vespa tour. Your driver will whisk you through the streets of Saigon's outer lying districts stopping off at a number of street vendors, intimate music venues and atmospheric bars giving you a unique and fascinating perspective of local life.

Day 13 : Saigon

Today you will venture out on to the streets of Saigon visiting many of the major sights including the Notre Dame cathedral, War Remnants Museum and Old Post Office.This evening you may want to dine in one of the city's many fine restaurants. We can recommend a few of our favourite options.

Day 14 : International return flight

Today is free to explore or relax at your own leisure before catching your flight home in the evening. Your return flight will arrive the same day.

DAY 1: ARRIVE SAIGON

Greetings from Saigon, the thriving capital of Vietnam.

When you arrive, take a taxi from Tan Son Nhat airport to Saigon's city center, then check into your hotel. at will to unwind and overcome jet lag. Saigon overnight.

Note that check-in for hotels often begins at 14.00. Early check-in if the hotel has space.

DAY 2: SAIGON – CITY TOUR - CUCHI TUNNEL (B, L)

The Reunification Palace, a testament to the bloody end of the Vietnam War in 1975, is where the city tour begins. Today, the opulent structure houses a museum and a hall for business meetings. The Notre Dame Cathedral, one of the city's most well-known buildings, and the Central Post Office, both in colonial design, are close to the Palace. The War Remnants Museum will be our final trip for the day. In a nearby restaurant, lunch will be served.

We travel by land to the amazing Cu Chi Tunnels in the late afternoon. These tunnels were built by Vietnamese insurgents as a defense against American attacks during the Vietnam War. We may even partially crawl into the tunnel, visit their kitchen and infirmary, and learn how they managed to stay alive there. Later, head back to your hotel.

Saigon overnight.

Meal: Lunch at a nearby restaurant; breakfast at the hotel.

DAY 3: SAIGON – MEKONG DELTA – SAIGON (B, L)

We depart Saigon this morning for My Tho, located in the Mekong Delta, stopping en route to see the lovely Vinh Trang pagoda. When we get there, we'll take a leisurely boat trip along the river to see the fishing communities, fruit plantations, and stilt houses that line the bank. Have lunch in the orchard garden before continuing to Tortoise Islet. After that, take a boat to An Khanh, a less popular destination in Ben Tre, and enjoy paddling a hand-rowed sampan through natural canals while enjoying fresh fruit and honey tea to the sounds of "Southern Vietnamese folk music," played by locals.

As you stroll around the fruit plantation and village, stop at a family-run company that embodies the ideal rural way of life, sample some delectable coconut candy, and take in the pastoral scene. Saigon overnight

Meal: Breakfast at the hotel, Lunch at a local restaurant.

DAY 4: SAIGON – DANANG – HOIAN ANCIENT TOWN (B)

Transfer to the airport in the morning for your subsequent trip to Danang.

Once you arrive, a driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel in Hoi An so you may check your bags.

We'll explore the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, the reticent Chinese Assembly Halls, the ancient homes and Trading Houses, pagodas, and the market by the Thu Bon River with our guide in Hoian. Here, we might experience the same emotions as the artists who view the Hoi An rooftops as a magical old world with an Oriental feel and a source of inspiration. In addition, this is a great town for shopping for raw silk, soft silk, and lanterns. You can also get your garments customized here in a day.

The next day in Hoian. Ho Chi Minh hotel overnight.

Meal: Breakfast at the hotel

DAY 5: HOIAN – TRA QUE COOKING DEMONSTRATION – HOIAN (B, L)

Ride a bicycle for 30 minutes to the Tra Que herb village from your hotel. While taking a brief stroll through the vegetable garden, learn about the village's past. Then take part in gardening tasks including clearing the land, adding seaweed fertilizer, raking the dirt, planting, watering, and collecting veggies. Before making lunch with a local family, take a foot soak. Participate in making 'Tam Huu' spring rolls and 'Banh Xeo,' a popular pancake in the middle area of Viet Nam. After lunch and your morning excursions, you receive instructions on how to pick and package the veggies. Bicycle back to your hotel after saying goodbye to your host family. The afternoon is free for leisure activities like shopping for silk products, picking up souvenirs, having your garments created on the same day, or simply relaxing on the beach.

Hoi An hotel overnight.

Meal: Breakfast at the hotel, Lunch at Tra Que vegetable village.

DAY 6: HOIAN – MYSON SANCTUARY – HOIAN – HUE (B)

After breakfast at the hotel, we'll travel from Hoian to the My Son Sanctuary, where you may explore the undiscovered riches of the Cham culture, which formerly flourished in what is now Central Vietnam. My Son was also named one of UNESCO's five World Heritage sites in Vietnam as a result of the intrigue and construction mysteries surrounding the Cham towers. It is a sizable religious complex with more than 70 temples and towers of various architectural styles.

Return to Hoi An by car so you can catch a bus to Hue. The bus departs at 5:00 o'clock. Stay the night in Hue.

Meal: Breakfast at the hotel

DAY 7: HUE CITY TOUR – STREET FOOD - HANOI – BY FLIGHT(B, L)

Hue is distinguished by the oldest royal architectural creations and the most traditional Vietnamese way of life, and is designated by UNESCO as the first Cultural World Heritage for Vietnam. We shall explore the city's splendor this morning from the Royal Citadel, Forbidden City. Continue on to the vibrant Dong Ba market to see local business life and see many of the products used to make Hue's traditional cuisine.

The best way to learn about a place's culture is to sample its distinctive food. We'll leave on a special street food trip about midday to explore Hue's other side. Our tour begins with Filtered tapioca dumplings (Banh Loc) or Sticky rice dumplings on a fried dumpling (Ram It) and ends with the renowned Hue beef vermicelli soup (Bun Bo Hue). The modest restaurant where the street food tour ends serves Sweet soup (Che) a delicious regional specialty cooked with tapioca and other regional ingredients. Alternatively, Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk is available if the sweet soup is not your thing.

Immediately departing for Phu Bai Airport to catch an aircraft to Hanoi. Picked up and taken to a central hotel for check-in after arrival. Hanoi overnight stay

Meal: Breakfast at the hotel, Lunch at a local restaurant.

DAY 8: HANOI CITY TOUR (B, L)

Early in the morning, between 8:00 and 8:30, your Old Quarter hotel in Hanoi will be visited by a bus and a guide. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the first stop on the itinerary. Visitors can learn about the life and accomplishments of the late great leader Ho Chi Minh from the tour guide. Visitors then move on to the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the One Pillar Pagoda, both of which feature impressive structures from the eleventh century (1049). The Tran Quoc Pagoda is up next on the itinerary. Located in a quiet nook of West Lake, one of Hanoi's largest lakes is the Ly Nam De (541_547) temple, which is the oldest structure in Vietnam. Next, head to Bat Trang, a village famous for its handmade ceramics (apply on Mon, Wed & Fri). Let's eat at 12:15 o'clock.

In the Afternoon, the Guest Explores the Ethnology Museum (apply on Sun, Tue, Thu & Sat). After that, you'll head to Vietnam's first and largest university, the Temple of Literature, which was established in 1070 by King LY Thanh Tong. Vietnam's educational system is based on the moral philosophy of Confucius, whose founder Chu Van An was the first teacher of Quoc Tu Giam. The Ngoc Son Temple is your final destination. Tours typically conclude between the hours of 15:30 and 16:00. Hanoi overnight stay

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch at a local restaurant.

Please note: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum closes on Monday and Friday, from late September to November for annual maintenance.

DAY 9: HANOI – HALONG BAY OVERNIGHT CRUISE (B, L, D)

Wake up early and run to a lake near your hotel if you want to observe how the people of Hanoi get up and shine in the morning. You may join an exciting scene of hundreds of locals who are intensely focused on their daily Tai Chi Quan, jogging, martial arts, classical dance, and other exercises. Travel for more than two hours to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, after breakfast at the hotel. UNESCO named Halong Bay a Natural World Heritage site in 1994 and 2006. The route will pass through the Red River delta, which is characterized by lush paddy fields and rural communities where hard-working farmers are engaged in farming tasks like plow buffaloes or planting seedlings. Aboard the overnight cruise after arriving in Halong, you may see the breathtaking beauty of the "Descending-dragon" bay, which was carved out by thousands of oddly formed limestone rocks and karst grottoes. Following a meal on board, we can explore the Grottos, stop for swimming or kayaking, pass by floating homes, and approach islets to take in their beauty up close. Before dinner, take in a cookery demonstration before returning to the ship. Attend boat activities in the evening or just unwind at your own pace. On the ship, spend the night.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner on board

Please note the program may be a little varied on the cruise you choose.

DAY 10: HALONG BAY – HANOI (B, Brunch )

To enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning, you should get up early. You might be able to guess how magical it was to view the sunrise above the islets of the Bay since the Vietnamese refer to the "East Sea" by the point-oriented moniker "Eastern Sea." After breakfast, our boat will continue to go through beautiful locations where practically every islet has its own name, often based on its shape or resemblance, such as Sail Island, Fisherman's Head Rock, Butterfly Rock, or Turtle Islet. Check out your room and have brunch on the ship as it returns to the pier. Disembark the ship and go by land to Hanoi. enter the hotel. your leisure time. Hanoi overnight stay.

Meal: Breakfast and brunch on board.

DAY 11: HANOI DEPARTURE (B)

After breakfast, you will have some free time to rest or go shopping (as you see fit) before heading to the airport for your subsequent trip home. Service completed.

Meal: Breakfast at the hotel

Please note: Hotel check-out time is around 12.00.