SPECIAL SOUTHERN VIETNAM COOKING TOUR IN SAIGON AND MEKONG DELTA

Day 1: Southern Vietnam Cooking Tour in Ho Chi Minh city and Mekong Delta: SAIGON – ARRIVAL

Warmly welcome at Tan Son Nhat International airport, you are met by our guide & driver and then transferred direct to hotel for check in.

O/N at hotel

Day 2 : Southern Vietnam Cooking Tour in Ho Chi Minh city and Mekong Delta: 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 ).

Monday: Menu 1

1. Fresh spring rolls- Goi cuon
2. Sweet & sour fish soup with vegetables- Canh chua ca
3. Caramelized fish in clay pot -Ca kho to
4. Steamed rice with lemongrass -Com hap sa

Dessert: Banana coconut cream pops- Kem chuoi

Tuesday: Menu 2

1. Green papaya salad with prawn- Goi du du tom
2. Vietnamese spring rolls -Cha gio
3. BBQ pork tenderloin -Thit heo nuong
4. Served with noodles + herbs & dipping sauce as Bun thit nuong

Dessert: Grilled banana with coconut milk – Chuoi nuong cot dua

Wednesday: Menu 3

1. Green spring rolls + dipping sauce -Cuon diep
2. Beef noodle soup -Pho bo
3. Chicken breast with spicy sauce and sweet basil -Ga sot chua cay voi hung que
4. Steamed rice with ginger -Com hap gung

Dessert: Tapioca pudding with coconut milk-Che banh lot

Thursday: Menu 4

1. Banana flower salad with pork and shrimps -Goi hoa chuoi tom thit
2. Vietnamese pancake with mung bean, pork and seafood stuffing + fish sauce dip -Banh xeo
3. Sauteed chicken with lemongrass and chili -Ga kho sa ot
4. Steamed rice with pandan leaves -Com hap la dua

Dessert: Mung bean pudding – Che dau xanh

Friday: Menu 5

1. Dragon egg fried rice cake -Banh khot
2. Caramelized pork in the clay pot – Thit kho to
3. Sweet & sour clam soup with dills -Canh ngheu thi la
4. Steamed rice in the coconut -Com hap trai dua

Dessert: Water chestnut pudding with tapioca- Che cu nang

Saturday & Sunday: Menu 6

1. Lotus stems salad with pork and shrimps -Goi ngo sen tom thit
2. Grilled pork chop -Suon cot let nuong
3. Steamed egg pie -Cha chung
4. Broken rice -Com tam

Dessert: Coconut jelly – Rau cau dua

Note:

–  The menu can be changed for exclusive bookings.

– The price may change if there is any special request.

– Photos of the dishes are for information and are not contractual.

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 3: Southern Vietnam Cooking Tour in Ho Chi Minh city and Mekong Delta: SAIGON HALF DAY CITY TOUR (B)

Breakfast at 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!

You have free time by your own to have more experience in Ho Chi Minh city.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 4 : Southern Vietnam Cooking Tour in Ho Chi Minh city and Mekong Delta: SAIGON – MEKONG TOUR TO CAI BE – COOKING CLASS ( B/L)

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 to Can Tho.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 05 : Southern Vietnam Cooking Tour in Ho Chi Minh city and Mekong Delta: CAN THO – CAI RANG FLOATING MARKET – BACK TO SAIGON ( B/L)

Take a leisurely boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong river (Bassac River), then proceed to visit Cai Rang floating market (& Phong Dien is optional), which are the liveliest in the whole religion.

Have you ever tasted Vietnamese vermicelli soup? Well, now go and see how it is made. Then wander around the village and meet the friendly local people and experience how to cross a “Monkey bridge” which is built by only o¬ne stem of bamboo. Visit the orchard garden. Stop for lunch. Back to HCM city.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 06: Southern Vietnam Cooking Tour in Ho Chi Minh city and Mekong Delta: 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 similar one

Can Tho : Anh Dao Mekong Hotel ( Standard room ) ( http://www.anhdaomekong2.com or similar one

 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
• Half day city tour, Cu chi tunnel & cooking class in Saigon, Mekong Cai Be tour & cooking class, Can Tho ( Cai Rang floating market ).
• Domestic air ticket (Ho Chi Minh – Hanoi)
• 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 guide
• Special event rates
• Tips, drinks and other personal expenses