LIFETIME VIETNAM DISCOVERY TOUR & COOKING CLASS – 10 DAYS

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: HANOI – ARRIVAL

Day 2: HANOI – HA LONG – FLAMINGO CRUISE (GROUP TOUR) (B/L/D) (Specify cooking menus on the cruise)

Day 3: HALONG BAY – HANOI ( B/L) 

Day 4: PRIVATE HALF DAY WALKING TOUR & STREET FOOD TOUR (B/D)

Day 5: HANOI – FLIGHT TO DANANG – HOIAN SIGHTSEEING ( B)

Day 6: HOI AN – TRA QUE VILLAGE – BIKING & COOKING CLASS ( B/L)

Day 7: HOIAN – DANANG FLIGHT TO SAIGON – HALF DAY CITY TOUR (B)

Day 8: SAIGON – COOKING CLASS – CUCHI ( B/L)

Day 9: SAIGON – DELUXE GROUP TOUR TO MEKONG (B)

Day 10: SAIGON – DEPARTURE  

Day 1: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An: HANOI – ARRIVAL

Arrive in Hanoi where you will be greeted by a representative and transferred to your hotel.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 2: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An: HANOI – HA LONG – FLAMINGO CRUISE (GROUP TOUR) (B/L/D) (Specify cooking menus on the cruise)

7:30 – 08:30: Our SHUTTLE BUS with tour guide will pick you up at your hotels (Note: This pickup is just applied for those who use our shuttle bus service)

10h30: Stopover in Hai Duong city where you can experience our hand-made Vietnamese handicraft products.

12h30: Arrive in Tuan Chau Marina Pier (Tuan Chau Island). Followed by activities:

+ Boarding FLAMINGO CRUISEs for departure.

+ Welcome drink will be served and cruise briefing, safety instructions, check-in cabins by Cruise Manager.

+ Great lunch is served while cruising passing by islets, through Hoa Cuong floating village.

+ Exploration of Halong Bay passing by Soi Sim Beach, Coconut Three Island. Then arrive in the area of Surprising Cave.

+ Kayaking & swimming or climbing up to the mountain and getting a complete view of Halong Bay at Titov Beach

+ Joining our COOKING CLASS on the sun-deck. Let’s see how to make the fresh/fried spring rolls and mix fish-sauce.

+ Enjoy sunset party with fruits and wine.

19:30: Under the magnificent night sky, Our luxury set-menu dinner is served with a variety of Vietnamese and Asian foods.

Evening activities include:

+ Join the SQUID FISHING on boat with our crews. You can enjoy the squid cooked with assistance from our chef.

+ Or Laze yourself with our happy-hour drinks at the bar.

Overnight on Flamingo Cruise

Day 3: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An: HALONG BAY – HANOI ( B/L) 

06:15: Tai Chi class on the Sun-deck.

07:15: Have breakfast with Coffee, tea and Bakeries on board.

08:00: Visit the SURPRISING CAVE (Hang Sung Sot) discovered by the French in 1901. Opened for tourists since 1936, now it is a must-to-see and a symbol for geology value of Halong.

09:30: Check out time. Then relax on the sun-deck or inside the restaurant to enjoy the bay’s scenery.

10h15: Enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch while cruising back to the pier.

12:00: Disembarkation at Tuan Chau Pier. Our car will be at your disposal to pick you up then drive back to Hanoi.

16:00: Arrive in Hanoi. End of the trip!

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 4: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An: PRIVATE HALF DAY WALKING TOUR & STREET FOOD TOUR (B/D)

Breakfast at hotel

From your hotel, we take you to visit Ho Chi Minh complex, walking around Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the final resting place of Vietnamese great father or Uncle Ho, President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house – where Ho lived on and off from 1958 to 1969… The next place is One Pillar Pagoda a group of structures consisting of a pagoda and a tower built in the middle of a square pond. Leave One Pillar Pagoda for the Temple of Literature the first college of Viet Nam dedicated to Confucian. Back to Hoan Kiem Lake and have a stopover with Ngoc Son Temple.

At 18.00, our tour guide will welcome you at your hotel lobby, then start the tour to Hanoi Old Quarter “36 streets” to visit some famous and specialized- food families or stalls/ local restaurants, shops where they run their business every day, certainly you will watch and taste some particular dishes, we can customize vegetarian or special food too.

Special thing that tour guide would like to introduce some popular authentic food in lovely mini restaurants (not luxury restaurants) where you feel comfortable to sit down and enjoy some favourite dishes and nice drinks too.

It’s interesting to hear from tour guide about the history of the old quarter in Hanoi, it is thousand years old and today retains much of the old flavour that made the area special in earlier times, each street was the exclusive domain of one trade (guilds) so there are whole streets of blacksmiths, silver shops, paper shops, headstone makers and more. Originally there were just 36 streets in the old quarter but today there are more than 50 streets.

It is very difficult to find some local food stalls and mini restaurants on your own in hidden alleys and sidewalks, certainly the best way to make it easy is joining with us, taking part in this special tour to learn about Vietnamese cuisine, culture, people and language.

After all, Food on Foot Tour will give you an unique experience to try the foods of the local Hanoi people, we ensure the food is handled hygienically and provide a comfortable venue for the tastings. The benefit also goes back to the vendors or restaurants/ families as we buy directly from them.

At 21.00, our tour guide say goodbye to you, and will help you order taxi or show you direction back your hotel.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 5: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An: HANOI – FLIGHT TO DANANG – HOIAN SIGHTSEEING ( B)

Breakfast at hotel. You have free time by your own to have more experience in Hanoi until transfer to the Hanoi airport to catch a flight to Danang.

On arrival at Danang airport, you will be greeted by our guide and driven to Hoian Hotel.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 6: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An: HOI AN – TRA QUE VILLAGE – BIKING & COOKING CLASS ( B/L)

Breakfast at hotel. In this early morning, our guide welcomes you at the hotel in Hoi An and takes you to siting on boat to learn fishing for more experience under the instruction of the local people. Especially, you will practice by yourselves how to catch fish, how to catch the net into the river…Then you will visit green Bay Mau water coconut forest. Coming here, you have chance to row the basket boat to enjoy the tranquil atmosphere admire the revolutionary base of Hoi An in the past and use fishing tools to fish the field crab.

Leaving this beautiful land with heroic traditions, you will be transferred to continue to ride bicycle for visiting Tra Que Vegetable Village far from Hoi An Ancient Town 3km. You ride through peaceful villages and enjoy the beauty of countryside surrounding Hoi An. On arrival, you are welcomed with the friendly smiles and special drink; “E” water or local tea. Here is the chance for you to have a cooking class with the family. Under the instruction how to prepare ingredients, you will cook Hoi An special foods. Have lunch at the family.

Pm: You will dress in farming clothes, take a short walk around to visit the garden where local farmers work and use the traditional methods without having electrical machines support. After that you are under the instruction of household; he will show you how to prepare and make the land, you fertilize green manure before growing vegetables. Watering the vegetables, which you have just grown, is the last activity in the procedure of planting them. After that, you come back the house to relax by soaking your feet in Vietnamese herbs. This is one of the ways to refresh ourselves after the hard time in garden of Vietnamese. Then you be transferred back your hotel in Hoi An.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 7: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An: HOIAN – DANANG FLIGHT TO SAIGON – HALF DAY CITY TOUR (B)

Breakfast at hotel. You have free time by your own to have more experience in Hoian until transfer to the Danang airport to catch a flight to Ho Chi Minh city.

On arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, you will be greeted by our guide and driven to Hotel.

We spend a half day exploring the captivating Ho Chi Minh City. The most places of interest are located near the town center. We pass by the now-demolished wartime American Embassy on our way to the Reunification Palace. This famous edifice was a former residence of the President of Southern Vietnam until end of Maril 1975. Close to the palace are some striking French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. We follow these with a visit to the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum with a wealth of images from the notorious conflicts. The sightseeing ends up with a walk around the retail Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sale!

Overnight at hotel. 

Day 8: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An: SAIGON – COOKING CLASS – CUCHI ( B/L)

Breakfast at hotel.

In the morning, You’ll have cooking class with Chef. The class will also start with a visit to the local market with Chef, which will help you to understand more about Vietnamese ingredients and their substitution. You’ll go through a cooking lesson with full of fun pride, then finally enjoy the dishes you made by yourselves. Menu of your class depends on the date but you will have 5 traditional dishes any day. ( The menu depends on each day ).

Afternoon: Transfer about 30km north-west of Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi town. Cu Chi tunnels were used as the base from which the Vietnamese mounted their operations of the Tet Offensive in 1968. The incredible underground network in Cu Chi stretched over 200 kilometres and became legendary during the American war. The extensive tunnels have been specially constructed with living areas, weapon factories, filed hospitals, command centres, plus accommodation. Today we have an excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels to visit an exposition hall and a widened section of the tunnels to get a feel of the underground life. There are also possibilities to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range.

Overnight at hotel. 

Day 9: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An: SAIGON – DELUXE GROUP TOUR TO MEKONG (B) 

6.30 AM: Depart for Cai Be by car/van via Trung Luong Express Highway, stopping to take photos in Tan An town overlooking the picturesque flat rice fields. 

9.30 AM: On arrival in Cai Be, set off by motor boat to visit the Cai Be floating market and watch the locals trading fruit and many other commodities on board their vessels. Visit a small family business to see how coconut candy and crispy rice popcorn are made. Then wander into the small villages to visit the orchard and fruit plantation, accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music.

11.30 AM: Keep cruising to a series of small canals to experience the charms of the Upper Mekong Delta. Arrive in Tan Phong island, join to a cooking class. Enjoy your cooking experience and learn how to prepare special Vietnamese dishes. Food cooked by yourself and fresh river food served in the heart of the garden. Relax on the hammocks to get back your energy.

14.00 PM: Cycle around the village path with fruit orchards and bonsai garden. Meet the local islanders to learn more about the local daily life in the Mekong delta. 15:00 PM: Take a boat ride back to Cai Be, meet the car/van for the trip back to Ho chi minh city.   

Overnight at hotel.

Day 10: Vietnam Discovery Tour & Cooking Class from Hanoi to Saigon via Hoi An; SAIGON – DEPARTURE  

Breakfast at hotel, you will be free till guide comes & picks you up to the airport for flight back home.

—End of service—

*3 Star Hotels in use:

Saigon: Ruby River Hotel (Deluxe Room) https://rubyriverhotel.com.vn  or a similar one

Hanoi: Golden Sun Palace hotel (Superior room) https://www.tripadvisor.com.vn/Hotel_Review-g293924-d3745968-Reviews-Golden_Sun_Palace_Hotel-Hanoi.html similar ones

Halong Bay: Flamingo Cruise (Deluxe Cabin) http://flamingocruises.vn/ or similar.

 Includes:

Private, air-conditioned transportation

Accommodation (Shared room- twin room or Double room)

Overnight cruise in Halong Bay

Local English speaking guides

Entrance fee at indicated sights

Private Half Day tour & food tour in Hanoi, Private Tra Que Village & cooking class in Hoian, Private half day city tour, Cuchi tunnel & cooking class, Group Tour Mekong in Saigon.

Domestic air ticket (Hanoi – Danang, Danang – Ho Chi Minh)

Water puppet tickets in Hanoi

Meals as indicated in the itinerary: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch & D = Dinner

Govt tax and service charge

Luggage handling and drinking water.

Excludes:

Visa stamping fee on arrival

Travel insurance in all kinds

Single supplement

Other foreign language guides

Special event rates

Tips, drinks and other personal expenses