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Code: |
VNCK01 |
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Routes: |
This journey explores the length of
Vietnam from a culinary and culture |
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Duration: |
09 Days |
Itinerary in brief
Day 1: Saigon Arrival
Day 2: Saigon Cooking Class
Day 3: Saigon - Mekong Delta
Day 4: Mekong Delta - Saigon
Day 5: Saigon - Danang - Hoi An
Day 6: Hoi An Cooking Class
Day 7: Hoi An - Danang - Hanoi
Day 8: Hanoi Cooking and Sightseeing Tours
Day 9: Hanoi Departure
Detail Itinerary
Day 1: Saigon Arrival
Arrive at Saigon airport, meet the guide with the welcome
signboard. Transfer to hotel for check in with
an orientation tour of Saigon city to have an
overview of Saigon.
If time permits, dinner at one of the finest
local restaurant in Saigon. Free at your own
leisure.
Overnight at hotel in
Saigon.
Day 2: Saigon Cooking Class (Meals:
B/L)
Morning cooking lesson at the Vietnam Cookery
Center: the hands-on cooking course is conducted
by a professional chef and translated by a MC
who will explain the teaching of the chef and
talk about the history and culture of Vietnamese
cuisine. The lesson includes a market visit and
lunch. Afternoon excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels
: Cu Chi was an important base during the
American War, because of its strategic location.
The Vietcong built a 200km long network of
tunnels connecting command posts, hospitals,
shelters, and weapon factories. Dug out by hand
tools without the use of cement, this amazing
network was only recently opened to tourists.
Overnight at hotel in Saigon
Day 3: Saigon - Mekong Delta (Meals:
B/L)
Leave your hotel at 7.30 for a 3-hour drive to Cai Be with
stop en route at Trung Luong Bonsai garden for a
tea break. Upon arrival, board a motorized boat
to visit the popcorn cake, rice paper making
family before visiting the lively floating
market of Cai Be. Then continue by boat towards
Vinh Long province to see the diverse fish traps
in order to learn a kind of lazy fishing. After
cruising along small shady canals, we step
ashore and take a chance to watch a typical and
interesting music show of the Mekong cultural
life. Lunch is at the home/ bonsai garden.
Afternoon, take a walk for about half an hour to
enjoy the rural peaceful atmosphere of the
countryside life, on the way we can also stop en
route to learn more about fruit trees. Continue
by boat to visit the brick and pottery
factories. Back in the car at about 3 pm to
drive to Can Tho. On arrival in the capital city
of the Mekong Delta, do a walking city tour,
including the local evening market to take
photos of the busy trading activities before
checking in the hotel. Overnight in Can Tho.
Day 4: Mekong Delta - Saigon (Meals:
B/L)
Early morning board for a 3-hour cruise to Cai Rang and Phong Dien, 2
big floating markets with stops at a Bun Tau
noodle factory and a short trek before arriving
at a rice-husking mill. You can even try passing
one of the many fragile monkey bridges along the
canals photo shot. At the floating markets, you
will discover a typical way of displaying and
advertising farm products of local people
gathering on the Mekong river to trade their
goods. Drive back to Saigon with a lunch stop at
My Tho. Overnight at hotel in Saigon.
Day 5: Saigon - Danang - Hoi An (Meals: B)
Morning transfer to the airport to take flight
to Danang. Pick up upon arrival to Danang. Visit
the fascinating Cham Museum, famous China Beach
and the Marble Mountains en route to charming
Hoi An. Known as Faifo to early Western traders,
it was one of South East Asia's major
international ports and today it still retains
that special old-world feel. Enjoy a walking
tour through the Old Quarter and try some of the
local specialties. Hoi An is also famous for its
large number of tailor shops, so if you want to
have a new wardrobe made up, this is the time to
do it. Overnight in Hoi An
Day 6: Hoi An Cooking Class (Meals:
B/L)
We start the day (8.45am) with a drink at Hai
Scout Cafe as our meeting point.Visit Hoi An's
colourful market, and experience the amazing
sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market.
We will have the opportunity to interact with
the local sellers and purchase some of the
ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson
later. We board the Red Bridge boat for a
leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An
River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is
a chance to view local river life, so make sure
your camera is handy. On arrival, we have a
chance to explore the cooking school's herb and
vegetable garden, before learning about some of
Hoi An's and Vietnam's well-known dishes. The
cooking class is an interesting and fun way to
learn about the local cuisine - the class runs
for about an hour and 15 minutes, and includes
demonstrations from the school's chefs as well
as the chance for us to help prepare some
dishes. Included in the demonstration is a brief
introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate
decoration). Free at leisure by your own to
explore the ancient town of Hoi An or shopping
at tailor shops. Overnight at hotel in Hoi An
Day 7: Hoi An - Danang - Hanoi (Meals: B)
Morning transfer to Danang airport for flight to
Hanoi. After check-in hotel in Hanoi we enjoy
1 hour cyclo tours around the Hanoi City's old
quarters and the traditional water puppetry
show. Transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in
Hanoi
Day 8: Hanoi Cooking and Sightseeing
Tours (Meals: B)
Morning cooking class: Today's class begins with
a walk, accompanied by the Chef of the Spices
Garden Restaurant, to the local market, where
participants get a chance to learn all about
Vietnamese ingredients. After that, everyone
rolls up their sleeves in the kitchen to prepare
a proper Vietnamese meal. After the class lunch
will be served in the Spices Garden Vietnamese
Restaurant to sample all the different dishes
prepared during the class. This afternoon you
will discover Hanoi with an English speaking
guide. Part of your tour will include
sightseeing by cyclo, a bicycle type taxi, by
which you'll discover the Old Quarter made up of
the so called "36 streets," most of which are
named after the crafts or merchandise
traditionally sold there. Dinner tonight at
another of Hanoi's fine restaurants. Afterwards
enjoy a performance of a traditional water
puppet show. This fantastic art form originated
in northern Vietnam and is best seen in Hanoi.
The Municipal Water Puppet Theater is located on
the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake. Overnight at hotel
in Hanoi City.
Day 9: Hanoi Departure (Meals: B)
Free at leisure until transferring to the
airport to take departure flight for next
destination.
Meals: Breakfast
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